    [Senate Hearing 117-416]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]

                                                           S. Hrg. 117-416

                     DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS FOR
                                FISCAL YEAR 2022

    =======================================================================

                                    HEARINGS

                                    BEFORE A

                              SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE

                         COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

                              UNITED STATES SENATE

                        ONE HUNDRED SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS

                                 FIRST SESSION

                                       ON

                                   H.R. 4432

            AN ACT MAKING APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
              FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2022, AND FOR
              OTHER PURPOSES

                                   __________

                             Department of Defense
                           Nondepartmental Witnesses

                                   __________

             Printed for the use of the Committee on Appropriations

    [GRAPHIC NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]

            Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.govinfo.gov

                                   __________

                        U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
    44-165 PDF                 WASHINGTON : 2022

    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                          COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

                        PATRICK LEAHY, Vermont, Chairman
    PATTY MURRAY, Washington             RICHARD C. SHELBY, Alabama, Vice
    DIANNE FEINSTEIN, California             Chairman
    RICHARD J. DURBIN, Illinois          MITCH McCONNELL, Kentucky
    JACK REED, Rhode Island              SUSAN M. COLLINS, Maine
    JON TESTER, Montana                  LISA MURKOWSKI, Alaska
    JEANNE SHAHEEN, New Hampshire        LINDSEY GRAHAM, South Carolina
    JEFF MERKLEY, Oregon                 ROY BLUNT, Missouri
    CHRISTOPHER A. COONS, Delaware       JERRY MORAN, Kansas
    BRIAN SCHATZ, Hawaii                 JOHN HOEVEN, North Dakota
    TAMMY BALDWIN, Wisconsin             JOHN BOOZMAN, Arkansas
    CHRISTOPHER MURPHY, Connecticut      SHELLEY MOORE CAPITO, West
    JOE MANCHIN, III, West Virginia          Virginia
    CHRIS VAN HOLLEN, Maryland           JOHN KENNEDY, Louisiana
    MARTIN HEINRICH, New Mexico          CINDY HYDE-SMITH, Mississippi
                                         MIKE BRAUN, Indiana
                                         BILL HAGERTY, Tennessee
                                         MARCO RUBIO, Florida

                       Charles E. Kieffer, Staff Director
                   Shannon H. Hines, Minority Staff Director

                                  ------

                            Subcommittee on Defense

                         JON TESTER, Montana, Chairman
    RICHARD J. DURBIN, Illinois          RICHARD C. SHELBY, Alabama,
    PATRICK LEAHY, Vermont                   Ranking
    DIANNE FEINSTEIN, California         MITCH McCONNELL, Kentucky
    PATTY MURRAY, Washington             SUSAN M. COLLINS, Maine
    JACK REED, Rhode Island              LISA MURKOWSKI, Alaska
    BRIAN SCHATZ, Hawaii                 LINDSEY GRAHAM, South Carolina
    TAMMY BALDWIN, Wisconsin             ROY BLUNT, Missouri
    JEANNE SHAHEEN, New Hampshire        JERRY MORAN, Kansas
                                         JOHN HOEVEN, North Dakota
                                         JOHN BOOZMAN, Arkansas

                               Professional Staff

                                   Erik Raven
                                 Mike Clementi
                                 Abigail Grace
                                   Katy Hagan
                                  Kate Kaufer
                                 Brigid Kolish
                                  Rob Leonard
                                   John Lucio
                               Andy Vanlandingham
                          Shannon H. Hines (Minority)
                           Hanz Heinrichs (Minority)
                             Rosie Heiss (Minority)
                          Rachel Littleton (Minority)
                            Todd Phillips (Minority)

                             Administrative Support

                                   Drew Platt
                            Lucy Gardner (Minority)

                                C O N T E N T S

                                  ----------

                                    HEARINGS

                            Tuesday, April 13, 2021

                                                                       Page

    Department of Defense: Defense Innovation and Research...........     1

                            Tuesday, April 20, 2021

    Department of Defense: Defense Health Program....................    47

                             Tuesday, May 18, 2021

    Department of Defense: National Guard and Reserve................    99

                             Tuesday, June 8, 2021

    Department of Defense: Department of the Air Force: Office of the
      Secretary......................................................   177

                             Tuesday, June 22, 2021

    Department of Defense: Department of the Army: Office of the
      Secretary......................................................   231

                            Thursday, June 24, 2021

    Department of Defense: Department of the Navy: Office of the
      Secretary......................................................   273

                            Wednesday, July 21, 2021

    Department of Defense: Navy and Air Force Weapons Systems
      Divestments....................................................   339

                                  ----------

                                  BACK MATTER

    List of Witnesses, Communications, and Prepared Statements.......   385

    Subject Index....................................................   389
        Defense Health Program.......................................   389
        Defense Innovation and Research..............................   389
        Department of the Air Force: Office of the Secretary.........   390
            United States Space Force................................   390
        Department of the Army: Office of the Secretary..............   391
        Department of the Navy: Office of the Secretary..............   391
            United States Marine Corps...............................   391
        National Guard and Reserve...................................   391
        Navy and Air Force Weapons Systems Divestments...............   392

           DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022

                                  ----------

                            TUESDAY, APRIL 13, 2021

                                           U.S. Senate,
               Subcommittee of the Committee on Appropriations,
                                                        Washington, DC.
        The subcommittee met at 10:02 a.m. in room SD-192, Dirksen
    Office Building, Hon. Jon Tester (chairman) presiding.
        Present: Senators Tester, Durbin, Baldwin, Shaheen, Shelby,
    Moran, and Hoeven.

                             DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

                        Defense Innovation and Research

    STATEMENT OF Ms. BARBARA McQUISTON, PERFORMING THE DUTIES
          OF THE UNDER SECRETARY OF DEFENSE FOR RESEARCH AND
          ENGINEERING

                    opening statement of senator jon tester

        Senator Tester. We'll call this committee to order.
        I want to start by telling everybody here what an honor it
    is to serve as chairman of this committee and with Senator
    Shelby, a true gentleman, and I also want to thank Dick Durbin
    for his long-time leadership on this committee, something that
    I have appreciated as a member and I have continued
    appreciation for his role as Whip and the chairman in the
    caucus, and so thank you, Senator Durbin.
        Today, we have Ms. McQuiston, and Dr. Tompkins virtually.
    Thank you all for being here today, and I want to thank you for
    your ongoing hard work to lead and shape the Department of
    Defense Innovation and Modernization efforts.
        When it comes to Federal funding priorities, few things are
    more important than innovation and research, and it is critical
    for Congress to continue to make strong research investments
    across the board.
        America is facing many difficult and evolving national
    security challenges right now. We have heard from combatant
    commands in recent weeks about the daily threats they face,
    particularly from Admiral Davidson, the Commander of the Indo-
    Pacific Command.
        In this subcommittee, it is critical that we do our best to
    ensure our service members continue to have access to the
    world's most sophisticated and advanced technologies. So I hope
    to hear the witnesses' perspective on the global race for
    innovation, particularly as we compete with China and Russia,
    and I look forward to learning more about ongoing and future
    DOD (Department of Defense) technology innovation efforts and
    whether it has the tools and resources it needs to work with
    various partners across the country and that includes taking
    advantage of the incredible innovations happening across this
    country, including those at small businesses who can often
    bring fresh ideas, nimble operations, and cutting edge
    inventions to the table.
        With that, I will turn to Ranking Member Shelby for his
    comments.
        Senator Shelby.

                     statement of senator richard c. shelby

        Senator Shelby. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you for this
    hearing. I think it's very important to have a hearing with
    DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency). Welcome.
        This committee has approved billions of dollars, Mr.
    Chairman, for basic research, applied research, and advanced
    technology development to support efforts that would allow our
    military to maintain a competitive advantage and strategic
    advantage over our adversaries.
        Our technological and industrial progress remains a
    constant target from China and Russia and other nation states
    that are actively working to undermine and surpass our
    military's advancements. I believe we need a ready and lethal
    force equipped with modernized systems capable of providing
    strong national security and, importantly, deterring war. Our
    investments in innovative research are critical in guaranteeing
    success here.
        Over the last 4 years, this committee has supported the
    necessary budget increases in cutting edge research areas, such
    as hypersonics, artificial intelligence, unmanned systems, and
    microelectronics to address warfighter needs and capability
    gaps, and with the top-line budget recommendations unveiled by
    the current Administration last week, I'm currently concerned
    about our ability to continue to make those essential strategic
    investments that will allow us to keep pace.
        I look forward to hearing from the witnesses today about
    the progress being made in innovation and technology within the
    Department of Defense and how resource constraints may impact
    the department's ability to field cutting edge technology in
    the future.
        I also recognize that we're significantly constrained from
    getting into many of the details here today that would provide
    for a comprehensive discussion in an open hearing setting.
        Perhaps, Mr. Chairman, I've suggested that we consider a
    classified discussion with DARPA at a later date when you can
    have it because what DARPA is doing is important to all of us
    and especially to our Armed Forces.
        Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        Senator Tester. Absolutely, Senator Shelby, and we will
    take that up. We'll make that happen.
        I would recognize Ms. McQuiston for a statement. You have 5
    minutes. There is a Memorial Service at 11. So I'd ask you to
    try to keep your comments to 5 minutes and so we can get some
    questions. The rest of your statement for sure, your full
    statement will be a part of the record. So you have the floor.

                   summary statement of ms. barbara mcquiston

        Ms. McQuiston. Chairman Tester, Ranking Member Shelby, and
    Members of the Subcommittee, thank you for providing this
    opportunity to testify----
        Senator Tester. You need to turn your mike on, please.
        Ms. McQuiston. I apologize. Is it on?
        Senator Tester. Bring it closer to your mouth. It might
    help.
        Ms. McQuiston. It's not lighting up. Okay. I apologize.
        Chairman Tester, Ranking Member Shelby, and Members of the
    Committee, thank you for providing this opportunity to testify
    before you today. It's an honor to be here alongside my friend
    and colleague, Dr. Stefanie Tompkins, Director of DARPA.
        I'm truly honored to represent the Research and Engineering
    Workforce. I'm also excited to return to public service. I
    began my first government tour in 2006 at DARPA and today I
    return to public service performing the duties of Under
    Secretary overseeing DARPA as well as DIU MDA Space Development
    Agency Service Labs, Direct Prototyping and Experimentation.
        R&E serves as the chief technology officer for the
    Department of Defense, strengthening national security and
    boosting economic security. Investments in science, technology,
    and innovation today can pay dividends tomorrow.
        When I first started at DARPA, scientists were conducting
    research in vaccine technology. Today, those discoveries have
    contributed to the success of the COVID-19 vaccines. I'm quite
    excited and proud that we are all benefiting from past
    investments as we address the global pandemic. This is just one
    example of the tremendous impact DOD investments have not just
    for our military but for our Nation as a whole.
        To continue this track record of success, we must reaffirm
    our commitment to science, technology, and innovation today to
    guarantee a strong tomorrow. This strategy for the future is
    critical because our competitors are moving quickly.
        The use of drones in the recent conflict between Azerbaijan
    and Armenia may foreshadow things to come as others move more
    quickly to adopt cheap emerging technology.
        As both Secretary Austin and Deputy Secretary Hicks have
    stated, the People's Republic of China is a pacing challenge to
    the U.S. military. Bringing new technology and innovations will
    be central to meeting that challenge. Presenting a credible
    deterrent to potential adversaries requires us to develop and
    field emerging technologies.
        We must innovate at speeds and scale. Success requires more
    than a go-it-alone approach. We must explore more flexible
    partnerships with the private sector and academia, with small
    businesses and HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and
    Universities). We must reinvigorate our Federal research
    capabilities, elevate science, promote technology, and expand
    partnerships with our allies.
        R&E is committed to overcoming the value of death. We've
    shown that innovation and modernization can be done faster with
    more flexibility and commercial opportunities. From low-cost
    expendable drones to safer ion batteries, we must strive to
    eliminate gaps in planning or funding that can leave a project
    sitting on the shelf for years. We must do more to engage the
    services from day one.
        Our competitors and potential adversaries will not wait for
    our planning and budget cycles. We must balance oversight with
    the need to move quickly in order to maintain our advantages.
    This last year has demonstrated the importance of supply
    chains. The President and Congress have made it clear that
    onshoring the supply chain for microelectronics is critical to
    our national and economic security. The department has been
    taking actions to make microelectronics trustworthy, available,
    and sustainable.
        When I joined the government labs, our labs are the premier
    place to work. Although we employ some of the best and
    brightest minds, we are losing talent to the private sector and
    competitors. The hiring flexibility Congress has recently given
    to the department are helping, but we need to do more.
        One bright spot I want to highlight is DOD Bush Faculty
    Member John Rogers who pioneered the new field of
    bioelectronics. Rogers' research was the foundation of a new
    class of stretchable electronic devices. This research led to
    the 2020 release of a new flexible skin patch that can track a
    person's health through sweat. It allows for wearable devices
    to detect whether someone has COVID-19. His company is award-
    winning and moving to commercialize the sensors based on this
    research.
        While I'm optimistic about R&E's ability to be successful,
    we have significant work ahead. Having an under secretary
    solely focused on innovation could not be more important than
    it is today.
        I look forward to partnering with Congress to advance our
    mission, to lead in technology dominance across the DOD, and
    ensure the unquestioned superiority of the Joint Force while
    strengthening the American economy.
        Thank you. And I look forward to your questions.
        Senator Tester. Ms. McQuiston, thank you for your
    testimony, and there will be questions.
        [The statement follows:]
                  Prepared Statement of Ms. Barbara McQuiston
        Chairman Tester, Ranking Member Shelby and Members of the
    Subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to testify before you
    today. It is an honor to be here alongside my friend and colleague Dr.
    Stefanie Tompkins, the Director of the Defense Advanced Research
    Projects Agency, DARPA. And more importantly, I am honored to represent
    the men and women of the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for
    Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)). In addition to DARPA, OUSD(R&E)
    is home to diverse group of engineers, scientists, researchers, and
    staff officers who work in three separate agencies and in offices,
    laboratories, and universities across our nation. OUSD(R&E)'s mission
    is to maintain DoD's technological edge and to lead technological
    change and innovation throughout the DoD.
        In the three years since Congress directed the creation of
    OUSD(R&E), and gave the office a mandate to advance technology and
    innovation across the Department, OUSD(R&E) has developed and begun
    implementing modernization roadmaps in key technology areas. OUSD(R&E)
    has also strengthened lab and university partnerships for basic
    research and worked closely with the services to improve prototyping
    efforts in order to bridge the ``valley of death'' from prototype to
    program of record.
        Recently, Deputy Secretary Hicks assigned OUSD(R&E) the additional
    role of chairing a new Innovation Steering Group (ISG). This group will
    provide OUSD(R&E) with a mechanism for collaborating with leaders
    across the Department, for synchronizing innovation efforts and sharing
    lessons learned, and for driving initiatives to innovate at speed and
    scale. We convened this group for the first time last week, and the
    Deputy Secretary will hold her first Defense Management Action Group
    meeting on the subject of innovation and joint experimentation later
    this week. By creating the ISG, Sec. Hicks has signaled the importance
    of innovation and the attention it deserves. Simply put, it is a good
    time to be an innovator in the Department of Defense.
        OUSD(R&E) consists of three core organizations and a number of
    subordinate agencies and activities. The office of Research and
    Technology (R&T) is responsible for overseeing DoD's labs, Federally
    Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs), University Affiliated
    Research Centers (UARCs), academic and basic research, manufacturing
    institutes, and Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR). R&T's
    support for basic science provides the fuel that will power DoD's
    innovation and modernization efforts well into the future.
        OUSD(R&E)'s Modernization office (MOD) connects technologies
    developed in laboratories with future warfighting capabilities. MOD has
    developed roadmaps for DoD's 11 modernization priorities--that will be
    addressed later in detail-to guide these key technologies from early-
    stage science through capability fielding.
        The office of Advanced Capabilities (AC) focuses on technology
    transition. By conducting war games, mission engineering analysis,
    prototyping, and demonstrations, AC converts technologies into
    warfighting capabilities and gets those capabilities ready to field.
        In addition to these headquarters organizations, OUSD(R&E) also
    houses the Missile Defense Agency (MDA), the Space Development Agency
    (SDA), the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), and DARPA. DIU connects DoD
    with private sector innovators who use commercial technology to address
    some of the Department's hardest problems. MDA develops and fields
    advanced capabilities to defend against rogue regime missile threats.
    SDA is rapidly developing a new space architecture that is capable of
    tracking advanced missile threats. Finally, of course, I am honored to
    have the DARPA director speaking alongside me today.
                            facilitating transitions
        The ``valley of death'' is the chasm between a technology and
    warfighting capability. Countless technologies fail to transition into
    warfighting capabilities and fall victim to this valley of death. To
    shepherd new technologies across the valley of death instead,
    OUSD(R&E)'s Advanced Capabilities (AC) directorate executes nine
    programs that are dedicated to technology transition. By focusing on
    different sources of innovation, technology readiness levels (TRLs),
    and customer groups, these programs form a balanced portfolio that
    transitions capabilities to the Services, Combatant Commands, or other
    operational user groups, at an average rate of approximately 80%. This
    80% ``sweet spot'' offers a responsible balance between using taxpayer
    dollars wisely, while also taking measured risks to maintain DoD's
    competitive edge.
        Transition rate is an important measure of success because the
    Joint Staff, Services, Combatant Commands, and warfighters will not
    accept capabilities that do not meet their mission needs. By working
    closely with these partners early in the prototyping process, AC
    maximizes its transition rate by ensuring that partners are ready to
    accept and field new capabilities when prototyping completes. Beginning
    this year, AC added Mission Engineering to its toolbox; this process
    rigorously evaluates Joint Staff and Combatant Command priority
    missions and identifies new opportunities to transition capabilities
    and deliver even greater impact to the Department.
              prototyping pathways to deliver innovation to users
        Results from OUSD(R&E)'s prototyping programs illustrate how, when
    combined with experiments and demonstrations, prototyping is an
    effective tool for bridging the valley of death. For example, the Quick
    Reaction Special Projects (QRSP) program seeks out prototyping ideas
    from across the innovation space, including small businesses, non-
    traditional performers, and academia. By discovering innovative but raw
    ideas and creating prototyping programs to further their development,
    QRSP serves as a vehicle for ``technology push'' and offers the
    warfighter capabilities that they did not realize were possible.
        To ensure that DoD quickly transitions these new capabilities, QRSP
    awards contracts throughout the budget year of execution. For example,
    QRSP awarded a contract to the start-up Adronos which enabled it to
    compete in a ``shoot off'' demonstration. During this demonstration,
    Adranos achieved 15% better performance than other solid fuel
    formulations: a potential game-changer for hypersonics and long-range
    precision fires. QRSP's near real-time award enabled this small
    business to quickly refine their novel fuel and to demonstrate its
    utility to DoD.
        Speed is a critical enabler of technology transition, especially
    for emerging technologies. For this reason, the Emerging Capabilities
    Technology Development (ECTD) program identifies promising technologies
    when they first appear on the horizon. ECTD then quickly assesses the
    potential utility of these technologies and creates a prototype for a
    Service partner to rapidly evaluate. For example, in 2017, ECTD
    initiated a multi-Service project to prototype a cognitive software-
    defined radar capable of operating in congested and contested
    electromagnetic environments. In less than three years, the SDRadar
    prototype transitioned to U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force programs of
    record.
        Finally, OUSD(R&E) maintains low-cost demonstration and
    experimentation venues to specifically support small business and non-
    traditional performers. These venues enable DoD to access cutting edge
    capabilities and ideas from across the innovation base. They also
    enable small businesses and non-traditional performers to interact with
    DoD users, to learn about DoD's mission, to gain experience that can be
    leveraged to meet future DoD needs. Two such venues, Thunderstorm and
    Stiletto, demonstrated technologies from 60 small businesses in FY20.
     technology transitioned by ousd(r&e) that is making a difference for
                                 the warfighter
        Not only do OUSD(R&E)'s prototyping programs enjoy an 80%
    transition rate, they also deliver cutting-edge capabilities that make
    a different for the warfighter. For example:
      --Low Cost ``Attritable'' Strike Demonstration (LCASD) or XQ-58A
            Valkyrie, Joint Capability Technology Demonstration (JCTD):
            Facing potential adversaries with increasingly complex air
            defenses, INDOPACOM issued a call for an ultra-low cost, long-
            range aircraft to conduct strike or reconnaissance missions.
            OUSD(R&E) answered the call with the LCASD JCTD. This aircraft,
            also known as the USAF XQ-58A Valkyrie, allows the United
            States to avoid placing our pilots and high value aircraft at
            risk during the early stages of a confrontation. The project
            also demonstrated agile automated manufacturing processes,
            gathered performance data (e.g., weight, strength, stiffness),
            evaluated cost model data (e.g., cost, schedule lead time), and
            developed in-house prototyping capability for low cost
            attritable aircraft technology. LCASD also proved that it is
            possible to rapidly manufacture a low cost, combat relevant
            aircraft. This accomplishment has tremendous implications for a
            future fleet of loss tolerant aircraft which could change the
            nature and conduct of warfare itself. These capabilities
            transitioned to the USAF Skyborg program and would not have
            been possible without the strong support of Congress.
      --More Situational Awareness for Industrial Control Systems (MOSAICS)
            Joint Capability Technology Demonstration (JCTD): MOSAICS
            demonstrated a semi-autonomous solution to enhance the cyber
            defenses of industrial control systems associated with DoD
            critical infrastructure (e.g., fuel depots and electric grids).
            MOSAICS provides warfighters with tools to quickly identify,
            respond, and recover from cyber-enabled attacks on critical
            power, water, communication, and transportation systems. Naval
            Facilities Engineering Command is already planning to
            transition and sustain the first MOSAICS leave-behind prototype
            at Naval Base San Diego and is evaluating other opportunities
            to deploy MOSAICS capabilities at facilities in the INDOPACOM
            area of responsibility. Additionally, the Department is looking
            to use of MOSAICS to improve the cybersecurity of other
            critical DoD systems, including offensive cyber, long-range
            strike, and nuclear deterrent systems.
      --Hack-A-Sat: Borrowing a common practice for testing system security
            in the commercial sector, the Hack-A-Sat project invited
            hackers from around the world to attempt to hack actual DoD
            satellites. By watching the world's best hackers at work, DoD
            identified new, cutting-edge hacking strategies and is
            developing new offensive and defensive approaches for space and
            cyber protection. In Q2FY21, space and cyber experts from
            across DoD met to apply lessons learned from Hack-A-Sat to
            develop new concepts for space and cyber operations. I welcome
            the opportunity to share additional details about this effort
            in an appropriate setting.
      defense innovation unit transitions commercial technologies to the
                                   warfighter
        In addition to prototyping to bridge the valley of death, DoD's
    investments must cultivate new workforce talent, attract first-time DoD
    vendors, and identify novel solutions from across the national security
    innovation base: together, the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), the
    National Security Innovation Network (NSIN), and National Security
    Innovation Capital (NSIC) partner with industry and academia to do just
    that. As Chinese investments aim to compete with U.S.'s technological
    lead in key sectors, DoD's investments can play an important role
    laying the foundation for a successful startup ecosystem and for
    ensuring national and economic security.
        DIU, for example, rapidly prototypes, fields, and scales state-of-
    the-art commercial solutions. Leveraging the innovation, cost-savings,
    and economies of scale of the commercial sector, DIU has awarded
    contracts to 189 unique companies, of which 143 are small businesses
    and 61 are first-time vendors to DoD. DIU has transitioned 19 solutions
    to the warfighter, including small drones, automated cyber
    vulnerability detection and remediation, mobile endpoint security,
    advanced data management and analytics, air threat response, predictive
    mission configuration, rapid analysis of threat exposure, and space
    situational awareness. DIU's predictive maintenance solution scaled
    from one aircraft to fielding across the Air Force and Army and its
    small drone solutions scaled from the Army to all levels of the U.S.
    government. At DIU, there is also an opportunity for larger defense
    contractors to integrate the innovative commercial technology of
    smaller firms to provide ready-made solutions to the warfighter.
        Like DIU, NSIN works to redefine what national security service
    means for academics, technologists, and entrepreneurs. NSIN runs
    problem-solving programs such as Hacking for Defense (H4D) to produce
    new concepts and capabilities for DoD end users. NSIN also works to
    commercialize dual-use technology developed at DoD laboratories and to
    support company formation and the scale-up of dual-use hardware
    manufacturing capabilities, including those in autonomy,
    communications, power, sensors, and space. NSIN partners with 66
    universities in 46 states and has placed 175 people in DoD STEM
    positions, of which 47% were women or minorities.
                              mission engineering
        Mission Engineering (ME) is an analytical approach for evaluating
    potential capabilities in the context of real-world missions and
    threats. Rigorous and data-driven, ME can help inform DoD's
    requirements definition and technology investment processes and can
    support the development of government reference architectures. In
    December 2020, OUSD(R&E), in collaboration with the Services, Joint
    Staff and the OSD engineering community, codified the ME process by
    releasing the first edition of the Mission Engineering Guide. This
    guide disseminates best practices, invokes critical thinking, and
    provides a consistent methodology for practitioners to use when
    performing ME analysis.
        In FY21, OUSD(R&E)'s Mission Engineering team initiated four
    analyses to answer priority questions for the Department; analysis
    topics include: high energy lasers for base defense, position,
    navigation, and timing in highly contested environments,
    electromagnetic spectrum maneuver and mission data integration, and
    rapid precision strike-next. These topics were identified through a
    OUSD(R&E)-led workshop which included participants from the Joint
    Staff, Combatant Commands, and other OSD organizations. The topics were
    subsequently approved by the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of
    Staff.
        To perform these and other analyses, ME requires a technical
    database capable of managing a large amount of data and models.
    OUSD(R&E)'s new Mission Engineering Digital Environment (MEDE) serves
    as one such database, providing analysts with a collaborative, agile,
    secure, interoperable, and responsive digital environment in which to
    conduct ME activities. OUSD(R&E) is also standing up a mission
    integration/mission engineering war room to facilitate collaboration
    across all classification levels and to meet the technical demands of
    multiple concurrent analyses.
        To further analyze the potential mission impacts of emerging
    technologies, OUSD(R&E)'s Strategic Intelligence and Analysis Cell
    (SIAC) established an Emerging Disruptive Technology (EDT) wargame
    series. Wargaming is an analytical approach that enables DoD to jump-
    start the innovation process by grappling with the implications of
    emerging technologies well in advance of their maturation. EDT wargames
    holistically examine emerging technologies' technical capabilities and
    policy considerations, as well as their potential impact on operational
    requirements and threats. EDT wargames have examined topics such as:
    autonomy in undersea warfare, AI's applications to command and control,
    directed energy weapons, and emerging technology considerations for the
    Joint Warfighting Concept (JWC). Wargame outputs help inform future
    concept and capability development, mission engineering studies,
    prototyping and experimentation, threat forecasting, and S&T
    investments.
        EDT wargames also provide a unique opportunity to integrate a
    diverse set of subject matter experts across program office,
    technology, and Service stovepipes. EDT wargames include members of the
    technology, operational, and intelligence communities from OSD, the
    Joint Staff, the Services, Combatant Commands, and intelligence
    agencies. This inclusive approach creates a mutually beneficial
    feedback loop among the organizations and individual participants. For
    instance, the operational community gains a better understanding of the
    opportunities and risks of emerging technology and the technology
    community gains an appreciation for future concepts and capability
    requirements. Both communities further benefit by learning from the
    intelligence community's depiction of future threats.
        These feedback loops were readily apparent in 2020, during EDT
    Wargame 4. By assessing the 2030 technology landscape and identifying
    technical opportunities for the S&T community to align with the JWC,
    EDT 4 informed JWC's Supporting Concept capability requirements.
    Additionally, within OUSD(R&E), wargames are designed to inform
    prototyping activities, to shape modernization roadmaps, and to
    integrate across technology portfolios, thus enabling OUSD(R&E) to
    deliver the next generation of integrated capabilities to the
    warfighter.
                trmc delivers capability for test and evaluation
        The Test Resource Management Center (TRMC) ensures the readiness of
    the test and evaluation (T&E) infrastructure and workforce. TRMC also
    supports DoD modernization by forecasting future test infrastructure
    needs, assessing current test ranges and facilities, and developing
    critical test technologies and capabilities for use across the DoD T&E
    enterprise. TRMC, of course, also supports DoD-wide modernization by
    facilitating testing of key capabilities. Recent examples include:
      --Improved aeroshell testing by developing an arc heater that more
            accurately produces hypersonic flight conditions and can
            evaluate thermal protection system materials;
      --Upgraded a wind tunnel by developing a nozzle that provides air
            flow up to Mach 18 and that enables the measurement of
            hypersonic aerodynamics and weapon system stability;
      --Enhanced the realism of nuclear survivability testing by
            prototyping a test capability that produces ultra-short, pulsed
            neutron radiation and can be used to assess the survivability
            of microelectronics and critical control circuits; and
      --Improved 5th/6th generation aircraft testing against modern air
            defense systems by fielding sixteen threat-representative radar
            signal to assess detectability, survivability, and system
            performance.
        In addition to strategic modernization investments, TRMC also makes
    foundational investments to improve test capabilities and lower the
    cost of testing across the Department. For instance, TRMC fielded a
    common range instrumentation system at eight open-air ranges. This
    system tracks aircraft under test with sub-meter accuracy and securely
    transmits highly classified flight test data down to the ground at four
    times the rate of previous systems.
                where innovation research and technology begins
        The Deputy Director for Research and Technology champions the
    Department's relationships with academia, is piloting efforts to
    attract a new and more diverse talent pool to the Department's science,
    technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) workforce, is promoting
    the use of new hiring authorities and flexibilities, and through the
    Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology
    Transfer (STTR) is working to bring small and innovative businesses
    into the Department.
         growing the pipeline of science, technology, engineering, and
                           mathematics (stem) talent
        The Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation (SMART)
    Scholarship Program provides scholarships to U.S. citizens to pursue
    bachelors, masters, or doctoral degrees, and in doing so, helps build a
    future workforce capable of addressing the Department's most
    challenging problems.
        Upon graduation, recipients work in a civilian position in a lab or
    agency of the Army, Navy, Air Force, or other DoD entity and have a
    one-year service requirement for each tuition year. In 2019, DoD
    targeted scholars with academic backgrounds that aligned with DoD's
    modernization priorities, including: quantum science, microelectronics,
    biotechnology, and artificial intelligence. Continuing to recruit
    stellar candidates into the SMART program will enable DoD to build a
    workforce that is capable of addressing even the most challenging
    science and technology problems in the future.
                          our commitment to diversity
        To attract and advance an inclusive DoD STEM workforce, the
    Department's STEM Education and Outreach efforts are working to
    increase women's and other underrepresented groups' involvement. For
    example, OUSD(R&E) conducts SMART Scholarship program outreach at
    Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority-Serving
    Institutions (HBCU/MI). DoD's long-standing partnership with HBCUs/MIs
    not only contributes to a diverse STEM workforce, it also focuses
    research grants on core DoD modernization priorities. Furthermore,
    although the DoD's HBCU/MI program research focuses specifically on
    defense, program investments also contribute to commercial innovation.
        The HBCU/MI Program also manages nine centers of excellence that
    provide leadership, research, and education in DoD priority areas. The
    newest centers focus on quantum sensing, artificial intelligence/
    machine learning, networks, aerospace education, research, and
    innovation. The program is also working to establish to new centers
    focused on biotechnology and materials science. Finally, two other
    centers of excellence have a STEM workforce focus, and are cultivating
    a cohort of students through an education program that is coupled with
    exposure to the DoD's research and development enterprise. Many of
    these students also participate in DoD internships; after completing
    internships, 57 STEM scholars who also participated in the DoD HBCU/MI
    Program have accepted job placements with defense laboratories since FY
    2018.
                        leveraging international talent
        To stay ahead of our competitors, both economically and militarily,
    the U.S. must continue developing and attracting world-class scientists
    and engineers. The Department employs more than 130,000 scientists and
    engineers, and nearly half of this number work in one of the
    Department's laboratories or engineering centers. Despite challenges in
    recruiting and retaining technical talent, the Department maintains an
    exceptional workforce. Many of the U.S.'s top researchers and
    entrepreneurs have come here from other countries. To take advantage of
    this fact, in just the last year, OUSD(R&E) re-invigorated the
    Department's J-1 Visa waiver program. This effort will reduce barriers
    for foreign nationals who want to stay in the country to work in STEM
    fields.
        Today's U.S. universities welcome a high percentage of
    international students, scientists, professors, and industry
    collaborators, and our adversaries compete with the U.S. to recruit
    from this same talent pool. Immigrants have been awarded 38% of the
    Nobel Prizes won by Americans in Chemistry, Medicine, and Physics since
    2000 and immigrants or their children founded 45% of the 2019 Fortune
    500 companies. We want these individuals to come here, stay here, and
    choose to work with us no matter where they were born. It is our
    strategic imperative to continue recruiting the best, highly-skilled
    individuals-regardless of national origin-to work within the U.S.
    research enterprise.
                         utilizing hiring flexibilities
        The Department continues to make extensive use of recruitment and
    retention authorities to enhance its science and technology workforce.
    These authorities give Service laboratories the ability to conduct
    direct hiring in particular fields, such as cybersecurity, to support
    continuing education, provide recruitment bonuses, and reward employees
    with performance-based pay.
        These tools allow DoD laboratories to recruit and retain top S&T
    talent and remain competitive with the private sector. For instance,
    the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) has used the Enhanced Pay
    Authority to hire subject matter experts in the areas of autonomous
    systems, data analytics, and communications and networking, which
    directly enhances their ability to support the Department's
    modernization priorities.
                           the role of small business
        The Department invests nearly $2 billion annually in innovative
    small businesses, entrepreneurs, and academic research institutions
    through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)/Small Business
    Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. These programs provide the DoD
    access to the small business community, reaching experts and academics
    that may not otherwise be engaged.
        Small businesses that begin working with DoD through the SBIR/STTR
    programs have the option of partnering with existing contractors or
    larger businesses that may already be working on Programs of Record or
    fielded services. For many small businesses this is a ``foot in the
    door'' providing experience working with the DoD and providing DoD with
    access to new perspective and talent from the small business community.
    Moreover, SBIR/STTR projects are often dual-use, and are both
    transitioned to the military and commercialized for private-sector
    benefit. The Department facilitates both military transition and
    private sector commercialization opportunities through Component SBIR/
    STTR Commercialization Readiness Programs (CRP) and the OSD Transitions
    SBIR/STTR Technologies (OTST) Program. The Department also held its
    first Virtual Symposium on transition in October 2020 with over 1,000
    participants from small businesses, primes, and academia.
        DoD has focused the SBIR and STTR investment programs on the
    Department's modernization priorities. Additionally, DoD has
    streamlined and modernized the SBIR and STTR proposal submission
    process, with the goal of making these programs more accessible to
    small, domestic firms.
        In order to promote small business within the defense contracting
    space, the DoD facilitates licensing opportunities through our national
    partnership intermediary, TechLink. Partnership with TechLink offers
    licensing support to small businesses working with the DoD, which is
    mutually beneficial, delivering value to the small business and
    enabling further innovation.
        Additionally, the Department encourages larger defense contractors
    to work with small businesses, including SBIR/STTR performers, through
    specific subcontracting requirements and through the Mentor Protege
    program managed by the Office of Small Business Programs within the
    Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and
    Sustainment. These mechanisms further assist small businesses to
    contribute to Defense innovation, while also making it easier to do
    business with the DoD.
           how small business innovation in dod helps america broadly
        DoD reaps tremendous benefits from partnering with small
    businesses. A recent study of the SBIR/STTR programs found the
    Department achieved a 22-to-1 return on investment in small business
    research and development over the past 23 years, resulting in $347
    billion in total economic output. An economic impact study conducted in
    2018 on the DoD license agreements active during the 2000-2017 period
    revealed $27 billion in sales of new products and services, including
    at least $5 billion in confirmed sales to the U.S. military. Overall,
    these agreements generated over $58 billion in total economic impact
    and created approximately 215,000 jobs. In this study, small businesses
    accounted for approximately 80% of the licenses.
                         the defense manufacturing base
        Manufacturing is critical to the advancement of our technology
    modernization objectives. The DoD Manufacturing Technology program
    (ManTech) executes a portfolio of project investments across OSD, the
    Services, and Agencies, focusing on advanced manufacturing
    technologies. The ManTech program also serves as a lead Federal
    strategic investment partner to 9 of the 16 Manufacturing USA
    innovation institutes (MIIs).
        These MIIs promote domain-focused manufacturing ecosystems in areas
    of value to the Department and identify emerging areas of importance to
    the U.S. manufacturing base. The MIIs employ pre-competitive technology
    advancement and investment, and facilitate community building and
    workforce development. They bring together industry, academia, and
    federal partners to increase U.S. manufacturing competitiveness and
    promote a robust and sustainable national manufacturing R&D
    infrastructure.
        For example, the Manufacturing times Digital (MxD) Institute
    recently welcomed 5G on its Future Factory Floor to serve as a testbed
    for demonstrating the opportunities 5G, artificial intelligence, and
    machine learning bring to manufacturing. The ManTech team has also
    begun to accelerate advanced manufacturing technologies through public-
    private partnerships in cybersecurity, photonics, and regenerative
    medicine.
        Solar power and our most advanced medical diagnostic machines both
    depend on advanced photonics. The American Institute for Manufacturing
    Integrated Photonics (AIM Photonics) is an engineering technology
    consortium that has established a U.S.-based Photonic Integrated Chip
    (PIC) manufacturing ecosystem. This ecosystem is leading efforts in the
    prototyping, validation, and final packaging of advanced node
    microelectronics and photonic chip fabrication, and the development of
    test, assembly, and packaging facilities.
        Last year the Department established its ninth DoD-lead
    Manufacturing Innovation Institute--BIOMADE, to specifically focus on
    bio-industrial manufacturing. This institute leverages emerging
    biotechnologies, including modern engineering biology techniques, to
    foster domestic leadership in bio-manufacturing. BIOMADE is already
    building partnerships across the U.S. bio-economy and strengthening
    linkages between defense needs and industry and academic partners.
        Hypersonic weapons depend on the manufacturability of carbon-carbon
    materials. Working to address this need, ManTech is sponsoring the
    manufacture of carbon-carbon composite for the Hypersonics Applications
    (MOC3HA) initiative. This effort works directly with domestic
    manufacturers of carbon-carbon material to streamline processes and
    improve quality and reliability volume and size, reduce cost and cycle
    time, and increase yield.
        The department has convened a DoD-wide Manufacturing Council to
    coordinate activities addressing defense-wide challenges as well as
    human capital investments and strategies, and to serve as a touchpoint
    for industry. Through this Council, we align the funds in the ManTech
    program, Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment effort, and Defense
    Production Act Title III authorities to achieve our modernization goals
    and to maintain our technical advantage.
            supporting dod's miis response to the covid-19 pandemic
        America Makes, the DoD-sponsored institute for additive
    manufacturing, rapidly partnered with the Food and Drug Administration
    (FDA), HHS/Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR),
    National Institutes of Health (NIH), and Veterans Affairs (VA) to
    efficiently and safely match health care provider needs for PPE. This
    project also developed a rapid method for design submission and
    approval of 3D PPE designs under DoD funding.
        As of February 25, 2021, more than 624 published designs were
    available on the Exchange, with 34 designs optimized for clinical use
    and 28 designs optimized for community use. These designs have been
    downloaded over 200,000 times with more than 2.5 million views. Through
    the effort, America Makes assisted front line workers in obtaining
    hundreds of thousands of pieces of critical PPE supplies from qualified
    manufacturing across the U.S.
        The NextFlex Manufacturing Innovation Institute facilitated a
    project that uses novel RNA sequencing technology to prove the
    environmental contamination and transmission pathway, then refined and
    expanded production capacity of antimicrobial mats called ``clean
    surfaces'' to address surface contact infections. Virus and bacteria
    surface contact infections are frequent, and pathogens often remain
    viable and contagious between surface cleanings even if proper episodic
    procedures are followed.
        For this novel ``clean surface'' technology, any time microbes
    contact the mat surface, an embedded circuit board sends a micro-
    electric impulse along printed conductive traces to that location to
    activate antimicrobial silver and copper ions that quickly eradicate
    the contaminants. The flexibility of these mats allows them to be
    placed around the side rails of hospital beds, on tables, or doorknobs.
    The application of this innovation to public, medical and retail
    infrastructure in the long-term could impact how future viral outbreaks
    are controlled, especially during flu seasons. The mats went through
    validation testing throughout the University of Pittsburgh Medical
    Center hospital system and are now being installed in six hospital ICUs
    for a six-month experiment to measure pre- and post-infection rates.
        The Advanced Functional Fabrics of America (AFFOA) is a DoD-
    sponsored advanced fabrics institute and was selected to participate on
    the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' Manufacturing Emergency Response
    Team. Alongside the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, AFFOA
    helped administer $5.6 million in funds for PPE through the
    Massachusetts MII program for domestic manufacturers pivoting to
    manufacture PPE, identified opportunities to rapidly optimize the PPE
    supply chain, matched PPE manufacturers with producers of raw
    materials, and connected hospitals to manufacturers to quickly produce
    needed products. AFFOA also built a distributed PPE material-testing
    network to assist hospitals, state emergency management agencies, first
    responder organizations, and domestic manufacturers to test their
    materials and PPE products and ensure product performance and
    regulatory compliance.
                    strengthening our defense research base
        Scientific discoveries occurring at universities and laboratories
    supported by the DoD, have led to dramatic commercial and national
    security advances and have significantly improved citizens' lives
    around the world. DoD's relationship with academia is an incredibly
    valuable force multiplier for the basic research enterprise.
        In addition to our Defense Laboratories, the Department's FFRDCs
    and UARCs are a critical element of our innovation base, providing the
    independent and objective scientific and technical expertise that the
    Department relies on to create technical superiority. Last year, we
    undertook a concerted effort to ensure the Department employs our
    FFRDCs for maximum strategic impact.
        In FY19, the FFRDCs and UARCs made numerous contributions to
    enhance the capabilities of the Joint Force. For example, the Aerospace
    Corporation was an integral part of the Government and contractor team
    that successfully launched a GPS III on a Falcon 9 rocket. This was the
    first flight of a competitively awarded National Security Space Launch
    mission in nearly 20 years. In another instance, the Johns Hopkins
    Applied Physics Laboratory developed a technically rigorous ``space
    game'' that enabled participants to grapple with realistic and
    technically informed timelines, authorities, questions, and rules of
    engagement, and the operational implications of pursuing different
    space architectures. Playing out these scenarios has informed the
    department's investment decisions.
                           international partnerships
        Our Allies are essential to our national security. This is true in
    research as it is in warfighting. We continue to develop our
    international partnerships through the SMART program. Two examples from
    the SMART program to highlight are the Alan Turing Institute in the
    U.K., where SMART scholars can perform research on artificial
    intelligence and machine learning, and the von Karman Institute for
    Fluid Dynamics in Belgium, where SMART scholars can perform research on
    hypersonics. Through these efforts, scholars work with their peers
    overseas improving our S&T community and contributing to the
    Department's international partnerships.
                             technology protection
        Our military's technological edge is at risk. Competitor nations
    are acquiring intellectual property and sensitive technologies from our
    academic research system and industry through illicit and legal means.
    The department is taking a multipronged approach to address this issue.
    We are applying protections for critical technologies and programs that
    prevent technologies from falling into the wrong hands. We are
    establishing procedures to reinforce the integrity of our research
    enterprise. We are also engaging the broader S&T community and our
    stakeholders to provide improved threat awareness, inform necessary
    controls, and develop best practices that can be institutionalized
    across the DoD S&T enterprise.
        We continue to look for new methods to secure our technology.
    Technology Area Protections Plans (TAPPS) are new initiatives we are
    using to provide a common understanding of what needs to be protected
    and a strategy to establish protections. TAPPs will help S&T
    organizations get information regarding emerging and disruptive
    research that can be used to apply safeguards through Program Plans.
    The TAPPs in development align with the 2019 DoD list of critical
    programs and technologies mandated by Section 1049 of the FY2019 NDAA.
        We have also taken other steps to protect open research at U.S.
    institutions. R&E is currently working with other federal research
    funding agencies to develop common standards for identifying and
    adjudicating conflicts of interest and conflicts of commitment. We are
    fully engaged with the White House Office of Science and Technology
    Policy to develop Federal guidance for Research Security and Integrity.
        In March 2019, we issued instructions to our partners in academia,
    requiring that key research personnel funded by DoD grants, cooperative
    agreements, Technology Investment Agreements, and other non-procurement
    transactions disclose all current and pending projects and funding
    sources. We are also revising research grant and cooperative agreement
    procedures to exclude research funding for individuals posing an
    unacceptable risk to national security or participating in foreign
    talent recruitment programs. Moreover, DoD encourages academic
    institutions, associations, and councils to develop training modules
    for faculty to clearly explain the landscape of threats to research
    integrity.
        Technology protection requires a nuanced and multifaceted approach
    as well as partnerships with other government agencies, industry,
    academia, and allies. An uncoordinated, broad-brush approach to
    technology protection can result in damaging consequences that inhibit
    leading-edge research. At the same time as we work to protect our
    technological edge, we recognize that the free exchange of ideas and
    collaboration are critical to our continued success. We must preserve
    the long-standing norms that have benefited our research institutions
    while at the same time punishing bad actors who break the law. While we
    must guard against espionage and the theft of intellectual property, we
    must also nurture an open, pioneering and collaborative culture that
    has historically served our country so well.
                    creating and promoting new technologies
        The office of the Director of Defense Research and Engineering for
    Modernization develops and coordinates Department-wide science and
    technology strategies to guide and drive technology development and
    inform requirements. By developing S&T roadmaps, we prioritize
    resourcing, support future technology insertion, and provide
    opportunities for investments to accelerate development efforts. Our
    current efforts are focused on 11 modernization areas; 5G, Hypersonics,
    Directed Energy, AI, Biotechnology, Microelectronics, Cyber, Quantum
    Science, Autonomous Systems, Fully Networked Command and Control, and
    Space.
    Microelectronics
        Microelectronics is a critical focus area for DoD Modernization.
    Advanced capability microelectronics technology development directly
    influences success in fielding disruptive technologies, including
    Artificial Intelligence, Hypersonics, and 5G. The US is struggling to
    maintain global competitiveness in leading edge fabrication and design
    innovation, despite supporting a diverse infrastructure of research,
    design, intellectual property (IP) rights, and physical plants that
    should enable the US to be an attractive market for the semiconductor
    industry. Additionally, aggressive investments and actions by peer
    competitor nations threaten U.S. leadership. Russia and China have
    publicly stated that advanced microelectronics and AI are the keys to
    economic and military dominance. Nearly 90 percent of the world's
    semiconductor foundry market share belongs to companies with foundries
    in Taiwan, South Korea and China. This imbalance is prompting calls to
    boost domestic capacity.
        R&E's Trusted and Assured Microelectronics (T&AM) Program is
    executing the development of key technologies in accordance with the
    DoD Microelectronics roadmap. The broad goals of the T&AM program are
    to secure U.S. microelectronics interests, reverse the erosion of
    domestic innovation and supply, and establish a strong leadership
    foundation for the next-generation of microelectronics technology for
    DoD applications. We are involved in three lines of effort to reach
    these goals:
          1. Assurance of the integrity of microelectronic products as they
            move through the supply chain through the development and
            application of enhanced assurance technologies, services, and
            standards.
          2. Availability of critical and common IP, manufacturing
            capabilities, and assurance tools and services required for DoD
            research, development and acquisition programs.
          3. Access to design modules, design capabilities, manufacturing,
            and verification and validation services at commercial sources
            with lowered barriers and integrity/confidentiality protection
            measures.
        We plan to continue investing in advanced capability
    microelectronics, ensuring access to State of the Art microelectronics,
    advanced packaging and test, and to radiation hardened
    microelectronics. We are also moving forward with the establishment of
    the Joint Federated Assurance Center, and continuing to investment in
    the DARPA led Electronics Resurgence Initiative (ERI). ERI is intended
    to ensure U.S. microelectronics technology leadership well into the
    21st century. ERI will pursue electronics performance advancements by
    leveraging circuit specialization, to include materials, architectures
    and designs.
                            artificial intelligence
        We are in a global arms race in artificial intelligence technology
    and applications, most notably with China, who has set a goal to lead
    in AI technology by 2030. To maintain US dominance in AI, we will:
          1. Continue to invest in cutting-edge AI research through
            organizations such as DARPA and Office of Naval Research (ONR).
          2. Democratize DoD AI innovation by developing modern data and
            software development processes providing end-users and
            warfighters the ability to engage with AI development directly.
          3. Accelerate AI adoption by supporting a rapid development
            pipeline, from research to our engineering centers to the
            service software factories and program offices.
        This three-prong approach will lead to: trusted AI capability that
    has high utility to the warfighter, decreased development timelines,
    lowered cost-structures and reduced maintenance; increased
    understanding and availability of DoD data which is so vital to AI
    development; and improved talent development and retention within the
    civilian and service member community. Although this revolution is in
    its early phase, the capability is currently being tested in such areas
    as predictive maintenance, business operations, and automated target
    recognition. More generally, AI will enable a myriad of capabilities
    across the force, including intelligence fusion and analysis, planning
    and prediction, and longer-term autonomy.
        Just as the second wave of AI research performed within the
    Department 20 years ago led to the explosion of commercial activity in
    the US today, R&E is heavily involved in a third wave of advanced AI
    techniques and capability that will further strengthen the American AI
    ecosystem and have future commercial impacts.
                                     cyber
        Our adversaries are engaged in wide-ranging and highly impactful
    malicious activities in cyberspace, often with near-impunity.
    Fortunately, through the implementation of the 2018 DoD Cyber Strategy,
    which embraces a defend-forward and persistent engagement approach, US
    Cyber Command and the Service Cyber Components are now blunting and
    disrupting many of our adversaries' malicious cyberspace activities.
    Through this approach, and by leveraging new capabilities made possible
    through significant and long-term DoD S&T investments, our cyber forces
    are now exacting far greater costs on our adversaries.
        To build on this momentum and ensure increasing dominance, our
    cyber strategy calls for increased investments to accelerate the
    development and rapid transition of technologies that provide the basis
    for 1) vastly enhanced resilience of DoD systems and critical
    infrastructure 2) substantially increased capacity and unrivaled
    capabilities for the conduct of cyber and cyber-enabled operations, 3)
    overmatching skills and expertise within the Cyber Mission Forces, and
    the Cybersecurity and Cyber S&T workforces.
        Further, thanks to Congress' support of FY20 and FY21
    appropriations totaling $20M, OUSD(R&E) is awarding the first three
    academic Cyber Institute consortiums in April 2021. Known as VICEROY
    (Virtual Institutes for Cyber and Electromagnetic Research and Employ),
    they will prepare future ROTC and DoD-minded civilians for challenging
    cyber and electromagnetic spectrum operations and research careers
    through experiential learning. These increased investments in both
    technology and human capital will compound the dividends of the now
    decade-long increased focus, by DARPA and the Services, on the
    development of innovative and increasingly sophisticated cyber
    technologies.
    5G
        Technology to secure 5G communications is paramount to leveraging
    5G for operations and communications superiority. As an investor in and
    significant consumer of technological innovation, the Department drives
    a cycle that parallels civilian industry and leads to new capabilities
    and services that would otherwise not be available. The technologies
    being developed and tested in the 5G Initiative will drive U.S.
    technology and innovation. Further, the dual-use applications being
    developed will help U.S. industry get 5G-enabled products to the
    commercial market more quickly while also providing DoD with new
    operational capabilities.
        Security is often ``bolted on'' after a system has been developed.
    5G networks, prototypes, and operating procedures are being developed
    now, and the 5G Initiative is actively working with industry to address
    security early by engaging both large integrators and non-traditional
    performers in experiments at over a dozen DoD facilities around the
    country. Examples include new 5G techniques for device authentication,
    using network slices (virtual networks on top of the underlying
    network) for threat detection and protection, and using multiple
    network paths for added resilience. We are working with industry and
    the standards community to build security into the design from the
    start, so security is viewed as a key metric, comparable to factors
    like network speed and latency.
        Our 5G Initiative emphasizes Zero Trust principles, that is, moving
    away from defenses based on perimeters to defense in depth. Perimeter-
    based defenses are ineffective in dynamic environments that include
    multiple mobile devices, potentially untrusted supply chain components,
    and massive scale--all of which are anticipated under 5G. A perimeter
    defense is like a castle and moat defense; one builds a moat and wall
    around the protected center to keep the threat outside the castle and
    moat. In dynamic 5G environments, there is no castle. Instead, we need
    to think in terms of an in-depth defense strategy that assumes an
    adversary may be anywhere in the 5G environment. Continuous monitoring
    and rapid detection of unintentional faults and malicious attacks allow
    us to adapt in real time.
        The 5G Initiative is developing multiple 5G testbeds across the
    country to demonstrate the efficiency and capability that 5G will
    enable for the Department of Defense. The testbeds provide the Services
    the ability to develop and test novel capabilities in at-scale
    environments that would otherwise not exist. The testbeds represent 10
    different projects spanning 14 military locations and representing over
    seven tactical and operational mission areas/use cases. At Hill AFB,
    the 5G Initiative develops technology to enable 5G networks to share
    spectrum with airborne radars dynamically. At Naval Base Coronado and
    Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany, the 5G Initiative is developing
    smart warehouse technology enabled by 5G. The technology will enable
    more efficient, accurate, and timely delivery of warfighting material.
    At Joint Base Lewis-McChord, the 5G Initiative develops Augmented
    Reality/Virtual Reality for the training environment.
        Finally, ongoing dialogues with Service Programs of Record (PORs)
    ensure that the research projects address service requirements and that
    PORs are making plans to transition and incorporate successful 5G
    developments.
    Autonomous Systems
        DARPA's ``Grand Challenges'' on autonomous vehicles served as the
    primary catalyst for significant interest--and investment--by academia,
    industry, and government in autonomous systems. Building on this
    legacy, DoD application of intelligent, autonomous behaviors to robotic
    and unmanned systems (across all warfighting domains) is poised to
    allow humans and machines to team and achieve an overwhelming
    warfighting advantage not possible by humans or machines acting alone.
        These behaviors increase efficiency by reducing the physical and/or
    cognitive loads on the warfighter; reduce risk to warfighters by
    reducing manned operation in harsh and unpredictable environments; and
    provide the potential to generate cost-effective combat mass. Moving
    beyond today's current limited fielding of intelligent autonomous
    systems that primarily support intelligence, surveillance, and
    reconnaissance activities with platform-level autonomous navigation,
    future capabilities will be applied across the spectrum of warfighting
    functions.
        In the near-to-mid-term, autonomy efforts within research and
    engineering will result in advances in a number of areas, including;
    responsive fires support based for both manned and unmanned sensor and
    weapon systems; effective, resilient resupply using autonomous systems
    from point of manufacture to delivery; and joint all-domain and control
    enabled by autonomous systems increasing reconnaissance and
    surveillance ability.
        To speed the development of these effective, appropriate, and safe
    intelligent autonomous systems, the DoD will continue to develop the
    digital engineering infrastructure necessary to design, fabricate, and
    test these systems throughout the entire Robotics and Autonomous System
    lifecycle. Successful fielding of these systems will leverage ongoing
    efforts to develop and implement a comprehensive Joint all domain
    command and control system as well as efforts to develop a secure cloud
    environment including a cloud-to-edge strategy suitable for contested
    environments. In concert, we must conduct virtual and live
    experimentation to fully explore future operational concepts as well as
    continue to develop sound, thoughtful, and ethical principles for the
    employment of Robotics and Autonomous Systems.
                                 biotechnology
        Biotechnology will fundamentally change the future battlefield, and
    US adversaries (most notably China) are aggressively pursuing related
    capabilities. Furthermore, China has signaled willingness to use this
    and other emerging technologies against their opposition without
    respect for protocols, conventions, or human rights. Biotechnologies
    hold potential to broadly impact defense capabilities; however, until
    recently, DoD investments have almost exclusively focused on medicine
    and chem-bio defense missions.
        A key application of biotechnology to national security is the
    ability of bioindustrial manufacturing to generate novel, domestic,
    safe, and sustainable sources of critical supply chain components. For
    example, a project executed by ONR and NAVAIR China Lake demonstrated
    the use of engineered bacteria to produce linalool, which can be
    efficiently converted to jet fuel, diesel, gasoline, and high density
    missile fuels. Other DoD efforts, such as DARPA's Living Foundries
    program, have illuminated the potential for more than 1,000 DoD-
    relevant molecules to be produced using biology.
        The Department is prioritizing partnerships with Industry, to
    include BIOMADE--the newly awarded Bioindustrial Manufacturing
    Innovation Institute (MII)--and in collaboration with the Services, is
    focusing biotechnology modernization on: (1) building a common
    foundation of physical and digital infrastructure to create a rapid
    prototyping pipeline, (2) identifying and prioritizing use cases for
    prototyping and demonstration, and (3) enhancing workforce development
    opportunities. Investing in a pipeline for advanced development of
    bioindustrially-sourced products will not only provide critical
    materials and capabilities for our warfighters and maintain our
    competitive advantage in the field, a robust industrial base will also
    ensure that the future global bioeconomy is made in America.
                                directed energy
        Directed Energy Weapons can provide US forces with a high rate of
    fire weapon with a reduced logistical burden. This capability will be
    especially important as potential adversaries continue to develop
    advanced missile capabilities. We are working with the Services to
    accelerate operational weapon system development and operational
    experimentation, to build the industrial base, to develop the needed
    science and technology, and to carry out the capability development and
    demonstrations leading into programs of record.
        Through our Laser Scaling Program, we are using industry to build
    300 kW high-energy lasers by the end of 2022, and then we are
    increasing power to 500 kW by the end of 2025, and to 1000 kW by the
    end of 2028, all while reducing the size, weight, power, and thermal
    needs of these systems. Through our Rapid Prototyping Fund, the Navy
    will operationally test new laser and high-power microwave weapon
    prototypes at sea in 2020 and beyond. Further, we have partnered with
    the Special Operations Command to accelerate programs for airborne and
    land-based laser strike weapons. We have partnered with the Army
    Futures Command and the Navy to accelerate land- and sea-based laser
    and high-power microwave weapons for integrated air-and-missile
    defense, with initial demonstrations in 2022, key decisions in 2023,
    and initial capability in 2025.
        In anticipation of new and more lethal directed energy weapons
    transitioning to programs of record, we are upgrading our test and
    evaluation capabilities with new infrastructure at the test ranges.
    Along with all this effort there is a tightly coupled science and
    technology effort aimed at lethality, beam control, propagation, power,
    and thermal management. Multi-domain mission analysis is being carried
    out to expand the range of missions and to enable directed energy
    weapons integration into the Joint Force.
            fully networked command, control & communications (fnc3)
        To improve command, control and communications (C3) the department
    is focused on providing the capability to evolve rapidly and
    independently between systems, equipment and users. This effort
    involves integrating stove-piped C3 systems into a layered
    architecture. The FNC3 effort is closely tied to Joint All Domain
    Command and Control (JADC2) and together these efforts are
    synchronizing investments across the DoD to ensure that the Joint
    Force's C3 are interoperable, resilient and capable.
        By breaking-up the current stovepipes, we can increase resilience
    and improve Quality of Service (QoS--data rate and latency).
        We are also making rapid developments in software defined radios
    and investing digital active electronically scanned antennas and
    optical communications systems. This will strengthen the resilience of
    individual links, grow capacity, improve interoperability and enable
    rapid fielding of better waveforms and algorithms. DoD is already
    transitioning and taking advantage of these new capabilities, such as
    the upgrades to the Multifunctional Information Distribution System
    (MIDS), which includes Link-16, and the Warrior Robust Enhanced Network
    (WREN).
        We are leveraging recent concepts in Software Defined Networking
    (SDN) such as network slicing, to manage all the available diversity
    and deliver the much needed resilience with the necessary Quality of
    Service. Our investments are targeted at optimizing SDN concepts to our
    DoD tactical and strategic networks, as they are different from the
    commercial networks where SDN has been implemented to date. The US
    Navy's Tactical Data Dissemination Initiative (TDDi) is an early
    transition of these SDN technologies. To improve interoperability
    between applications in the short term, machine-to-machine
    interoperability technologies (e.g. efficient translators) such as
    DARPA's STITCHES program are ready for transition.
        In the medium and long-term the Department (led by the DoD CIO's
    Office) is moving towards a federated data-centric architecture to
    reduce the overhead associated with current approaches to
    interoperability. In support, we are investing in a data-centric
    approach to C2 messaging (known as Universal Command and Control--UC2)
    that takes advantage of a recent encoding innovation, variable format
    binary (e.g. ProtoBuf and EXI), to produce a C2 messaging standard that
    is simultaneously efficient, evolvable and broadly applicable. An
    initial demonstration of the data-centric C2 techniques applied to the
    Counter Unmanned Ariel Systems mission is planned for the end of this
    year. Improving our C2 applications ability to better infer relevant
    information from the available data and provide decision support is
    also key to better C2 with investments coordinated across multiple
    modernization portfolios including AI, Autonomy and FNC3.
                                  hypersonics
        Hypersonic systems take advantage of speed, maneuverability and
    sustained flight in the altitude gap between air defenses and ballistic
    missile defenses to provide transformational capability for survivable,
    long-range, lethal, time-critical strike of heavily defended and high
    value targets.
        Hypersonic systems are enabled by innovations in highly integrated
    aerodynamic configurations, high temperature materials and structures,
    high speed propulsion, and advanced guidance, navigation and control.
    Over the past decade, focused research, development, test and
    evaluation has created the opportunity to rapidly transition
    developmental system concepts to weapon system prototypes and to
    operational weapon systems. We are working in close coordination with
    the Services to accelerate development and fielding of multiple air,
    land and sea launched conventional hypersonic strike weapons to defeat
    targets of critical importance.
        Our potential adversaries are rapidly evolving high-end offensive
    and defensive systems creating highly contested anti-access/area denial
    (A2/AD) environments that challenge our tactical battlefield dominance
    and necessitate the development of hypersonic strike capabilities.
        Additionally, our potential adversaries are aggressively pursuing,
    and now fielding a variety of hypersonic systems. This compresses the
    timescale on the tactical battlefield, creating asymmetry, which we are
    working to address. We will continue to implement our integrated
    strategy to enable fielding of operational prototypes in quantity from
    land, sea and air by the mid-2020s.
        We are also working with the Missile Defense Agency to accelerate a
    comprehensive layered defeat capability against adversary tactical
    hypersonic weapons including kinetic defense in the terminal and glide
    phases of flight, as well as left-of-launch strike of missile launch
    complexes. The DoD hypersonics capability fielding strategy is being
    implemented through a highly coordinated set of programs across the
    services and agencies, to include a joint service memorandum of
    agreement and middle tier acquisition programs to effectively
    accelerate capability to the warfighter. Critical investments in our
    industrial base, our workforce, applied technology, and test
    infrastructure are being made to enable this acceleration and to pave
    the way for technical superiority for decades to come.
        The Joint Hypersonics Transition Office (JHTO), which resides in
    our Advanced Capabilities directorate, works in close coordination with
    our Principal Director for Hypersonics to accelerate the development
    and transition of hypersonic technology to the warfighter. As the
    engineering and execution arm for hypersonics in the Office of the
    Secretary of Defense, the JHTO works closely with the Principal
    Director for Hypersonics to identify and address critical science and
    technology and workforce gaps and opportunities to ensure the success
    of the Hypersonics Strategy. In a resource-constrained environment with
    an adversary operating with more resources and faster development
    timelines, the JHTO addresses the need to accelerate and more
    efficiently develop hypersonic technologies by tying S&T investments
    directly to identified military needs, providing mechanisms for closer
    collaboration and coordination across the government, and identifying
    opportunities to tap into non-traditional performers such as
    universities and foreign allies.
        The JHTO has five lines of effort aimed at increasing the speed of
    innovation in the U.S. and allied hypersonics enterprise:
          1. the JHTO develops capability-based S&T roadmaps covering basic
            and applied research to guide the hypersonics S&T enterprise
            and funded $48M in FY2020 in 28 projects to accelerate
            technologies that address the most critical S&T gaps.
          2. the JHTO is sponsoring an effort with Boeing and Aerojet and
            the AFRL to mature a propulsion design to enable a hypersonic
            cruise missile option for aircraft carrier-based F/A-18s and a
            joint USAF/USN missile.
          3. the JHTO in November 2020 stood up a university consortium of
            applied hypersonics at the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment
            Station (TEES) that enables nearly 100 universities to work on
            applied hypersonics research, provide expertise to the
            government, and to address workforce gaps. The JHTO is funding
            $20 million a year in university research through the
            consortium and has made this research ecosystem available to
            the rest of the government to access applied hypersonics
            research.
          4. As the lead for allied engagements in hypersonics, the JHTO is
            the co-chair of the Australia-US Hypersonics Working Group
            (HWG) formed in August 2020 to develop a bi-lateral strategy
            and coordinate S&T and activities in hypersonics.
          5. the JHTO in October 2020 stood up the JHTO Systems Engineering
            Field Activity at NSWC Crane in Indiana to provide the systems
            engineering rigor to JHTO-funded S&T efforts to ensure that
            they can transition into our programs.
                                quantum science
        Successes in the area of quantum science research at DoD
    demonstrates how early-stage research can have a multiplier effect in
    other areas important to national security. A clear line can be drawn
    to the 20+ years of basic research funding within the DoD, and the
    major successes we are now seeing in U.S. commercial industry related
    to atomic clocks, quantum computing, the growing importance of quantum
    sensors, and quantum networks. These quantum technologies have
    significant economic and national security impact, made possible as a
    result of long-term, dedicated basic research funding.
        Recent increases in federal funding through the National Quantum
    Initiative Act have led to increased levels of coordination with
    government partners. Increased commercial investments in quantum
    computing and quantum sensors are leading to new opportunities for DoD
    to engage and look towards transitioning this technology for military
    advantage. DoD is focused on the long-term opportunities of this
    technology for both military and civil applications.
        Advances in quantum science are only beginning, and there is much
    more potential to discover through research. As quantum technologies
    develop, their importance to our economy and to national defense are
    likely to increase.
                                     space
        The US cannot cede its dominance in space. Space related work will
    enable the US economy, diplomacy, and the military.
        The dominance of the US in space is being challenged. Potential
    adversaries are showing their ability to rapidly deploy space
    capabilities, they are extending their reach to the Moon, the area
    between the Moon and the Earth, and they are innovating with
    technologies that challenge norms of behavior and provide asymmetric
    advantages threatening both terrestrial and space capabilities.
        We are exploring numerous game-changing technologies with the labs
    and international partners such as advanced quantum encryption,
    artificial intelligence and smaller satellites that provide more
    capabilities, and austere on-demand responsive launch systems. Most
    notably, we have just initiated a new space research consortium program
    to mine the best and brightest researchers from universities and the
    tech base to focus on the hardest of space challenges identified
    collaboratively through a Board of Directors consisting of R&E, US
    Space Force, DARPA, DIU, Department of Energy, NASA and others. In
    addition to speeding the deployment of new space technologies through
    efforts like SpaceWerx and the space software factories, we are
    exploring cis lunar architectures and technologies such as space domain
    awareness, rapid maneuver and long-duration station keeping, through
    collaborative efforts in nuclear power and propulsion with the
    Department of Energy.
                 missile defense and space development agencies
        The Missile Defense Agency (MDA), the Defense Innovation Unit
    (DIU), and the Space Development Agency (SDA) fall under the R&E
    umbrella. MDA and SDA are working on programs providing our nation with
    defense against some of the most advanced threats in the world. DIU
    plays an essential role in providing an entry point for innovators in
    the private sector to engage with needs of the DoD.
                             missile defense agency
        The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) is developing capability and
    technologies that address the evolving missile threat. MDA will develop
    a Next Generation Interceptor (NGI), which improves homeland missile-
    defense performance and survivability against the assessed rogue nation
    threats as part of the Missile Defense System (MDS). In FY 2021, MDA
    will award the design and development activities for two competitive
    NGI development contracts. The initiation of the NGI program and the
    continued Ground-based Midcourse Defense Service Life Extension Program
    will extend the existing Fort Greely, Alaska, and Vandenberg Air Force
    Base, California, capability to defend the homeland from ballistic
    missiles beyond 2030.
        The Department is investing in technologies and studying
    capabilities to defeat regional offensive hypersonic weapons, the first
    element of which is to detect and track incoming missile threats. MDA
    delivered a capability for USINDOPACOM for real-time sensing and
    display of hypersonic and maneuvering vehicle tracks. This capability
    is operational now in support of the Missile Warning and Missile
    Defense missions. In collaboration with industry partners, US Space
    Force, USNORTHCOM, USSTRATCOM, USSPACECOM, and the Space Development
    Agency, MDA is pursuing a Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space
    Sensor (HBTSS). Once deployed, HBTSS will become a key element of the
    MDS in hypersonic defense by providing a persistent, layered capability
    to detect and track dim boosting ballistic missiles, hypersonic glide
    vehicles, and raids in all phases of flight. MDA awarded two agreements
    earlier this year to industry to build an on-orbit prototype-
    demonstration space vehicle for a planned launch in 2023.
        With the achievement of Initial Fielding in fourth quarter FY 2021
    and operational acceptance in first quarter FY 2023, MDA will add the
    Long Range Discrimination Radar in Alaska into the MDS architecture to
    provide a persistent capability to defend the United States homeland
    against IRBMs and ICBMs. This past year the Department demonstrated the
    ability of the Patriot missile defense system to intercept a short-
    range ballistic missile target using THAAD/AN/TPY-2 track and
    discrimination data. MDA also is continuing to mature an integrated air
    and missile defense capability for regional defense.
        MDA, in cooperation with the U.S. Navy, demonstrated early
    capability against maneuvering threats during flight-testing of the
    Standard Missile (SM)-6 Sea-Based Terminal (SBT) defense, and it will
    further demonstrate this capability against an advanced maneuvering
    threat-representative target later this year. We will continue to
    advance our SBT capability to address the regional hypersonic threat
    and will test that capability in the FY 2024 timeframe. MDA plans to
    accelerate the hypersonic missile defense program under a newly
    designated Glide Phase Intercept initiative to develop a capability to
    defeat a regional hypersonic threat. The eventual goal is providing
    greater depth of fire in a regional layered defense architecture. MDA
    is also pursuing advances in joint all-domain and global command and
    control to support USNORTHCOM in countering very long-range cruise
    missiles.
        The Department's previous missile defense technology innovations
    have transitioned into weapon systems and vastly improved interceptor
    seeker capability, increased the speed and range of intercept with
    advances in propulsion, and increased the probability of single-shot
    kill using multifaceted tracking and discrimination algorithms. As an
    example, the technologies developed as part of the Multiple Object Kill
    Vehicle effort were presented to NGI bidders, and may be included in
    the proposals. Additionally, MDA invested in directed energy kill
    mechanisms, including multiple laser types, high-powered microwave, and
    component technologies to support development of sensors and
    interceptors, such as beam control and lethality. These investments
    allow the country to outpace the missile threat. We must continue to
    sustain, modernize, and expand the MDS by pursuing rapid, yet measured,
    development of advanced missile defense concepts and technologies for
    homeland and regional defense.
        MDA is continually assessing emerging and disruptive technology for
    potential applications to missile defense utilization. Investments are
    being made in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Nanosat
    technology, Left-through-Right integration, Cybersecurity, and Quantum
    Science. Key to understanding the potential of technology has been the
    development of testbeds that allow MDA to exercise and demonstrate
    capabilities and test new concepts, algorithms, simulations, and
    software. MDA works extensively with partners, leveraging and expanding
    technology opportunities through cooperative, collaborative engagements
    with DoD partners, DoE labs, academia and U.S. allies and international
    partners.
        MDA continues to drive for the inclusion of small businesses and
    universities through outreach, such as their Industry Innovation Summit
    and University Innovation Summit. These events present MDA's greatest
    technology challenges and offer one-on-one sessions for the Nation's
    most innovative minds to present their capabilities and solutions. MDA
    is committed to ensuring the use of small business to the maximum
    extent practicable, monitoring prime contractor performance to ensure
    contractors are achieving their proposed small business goals and
    objectives and have a mitigation plan in place to do so. MDA actively
    supports the DoD Mentor Protege Program (MPP), currently overseeing
    five active DoD MPP agreements.
        The MDA Small Business Advocacy Council (MDASBAC) consists of MDA
    large prime contractors dedicated to fostering and showcasing a
    superior collaborative environment to develop and promote successful
    small business relationships to achieve common goals. MDA has a robust
    outreach program and takes full advantage of the outreach resources
    administered by Procurement Technical Resource Centers/Small Business
    Development Centers to connect large defense contractors with viable
    small businesses to support the agency's mission.
                            space development agency
        The Space Development Agency (SDA) was established in March 2019 to
    develop and field an alternative National Defense Space Architecture
    and accelerate the deployment of next-generation space capabilities to
    the warfighter. SDA is developing capabilities to address a wide range
    of national security space needs identified in the DoD Space Enterprise
    Vision of August 2018. To address current near-peer threats, SDA is
    focused on the most urgent of these needs by delivering a mesh network
    that will provide low-latency data transport in space to enable
    advanced missile tracking and beyond-line-of-sight targeting of land
    and maritime targets.
        At its second anniversary in the Department, SDA has shown itself
    to be a ``constructive disruptor'' in national security space. Its
    model is tied to two main pillars: proliferation of satellites in Low-
    Earth Orbit (LEO) and spiral development, delivering new capabilities
    on-orbit every two years, starting in FY22. SDA's mission begins and
    ends with the warfighter, guiding SDA to stick to schedule so that
    needed capabilities are available for end users to address the threat
    at or ahead of need. The Agency has established a Warfighter Council to
    ensure the needs of the Combatant Commands, Services, Joint Staff, and
    Intelligence Community determine the minimum viable product for each
    tranche, or generation of satellites.
        SDA is hitting its milestones and forming partnerships with the
    Services, Combatant Commands, and other DoD agencies to reduce risks
    and gain user insight. The agency delivered two satellites for launch
    nine months after receiving funding, was designated by the Department
    of Defense as the lead for the proliferated LEO Joint All-Domain
    Command and Control (JADC2) backbone, and awarded contracts for all
    four segments of its initial tranche. SDA is preparing to launch
    several capability demonstrations and risk-reduction experiments this
    year, in partnership with others from across the space enterprise,
    including DARPA, the Air Force Research Lab, Missile Defense Agency,
    and several small businesses developing state-of-the-art space
    technologies.
        SDA actively seeks ways to leverage commercial advances in
    technology to enable its space architecture. New space companies are
    supplying satellites for the first generation of the architecture as
    well as the launch vehicle for that tranche. To kick off 2021, SDA
    published an update to the National Defense Space Architecture (NDSA)
    Systems, Technologies, and Emerging Capabilities (STEC) Broad Agency
    Announcement (BAA) seeking studies, technologies, and prototypes that
    enable Real-Time Global Awareness and Connectivity; Comprehensive
    Space-Based Sensing; and Omniscient Command, Control, and Execution.
    This BAA is in place to establish an ``intellectual pipeline'' to
    access ideas from across the community to inform the future
    architecture, enable leap-ahead improvements for future tranches, and
    enable new capability layers that address emerging warfighter needs.
    SDA is also focusing on maturing and transitioning technologies from
    America's small businesses, start-ups, and research institutions
    through a series of SBIR/STTR opportunities this spring.
        In FY22, SDA will launch and operate the first tranche of
    satellites to demonstrate the Transport layer, the mesh network of
    communications satellites, and the Tracking layer, Overhead Persistent
    Infrared (OPIR) sensing satellites that provide missile warning,
    detection, and tracking capabilities. Tranche 1, the next generation of
    these capabilities, is slated for delivery in FY 2024, followed by
    future generations every two years that will incorporate battle
    management command and control and other layers of capability needed to
    provide persistent global access to protect national security. In FY23,
    the SDA will transition to the Space Force in accordance with the
    direction of the National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2020.
                                   conclusion
        Our mission is to foster technological dominance across the
    Department of Defense, ensuring the unquestioned superiority of the
    American joint force. We are dedicated to ensuring that the
    technological edge remains in our favor. This statement while
    comprehensive, is not exhaustive in capturing all the activities being
    undertaken to maintain technological dominance in the present and
    future. The projects and programs contained in this statement do
    provide important examples of how crucial innovation is to the national
    security of the United States. I thank you for your time and I look
    forward to your questions.

        Senator Tester. Now we'll go to Dr. Tompkins for her
    statement.
    STATEMENT OF DR. STEFANIE TOMPKINS, DIRECTOR, DEFENSE
                ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY
        Dr. Tompkins. Chairman Tester, Ranking Member Shelby, and
    Members of the Subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to
    testify today and for your strong support of DARPA over the
    years.
        My name is Stefanie Tompkins, and I serve as the Director
    of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency or DARPA.
        It's a real pleasure to be here with my friend and
    colleague Ms. Barbara McQuiston from the Office of the Under
    Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering.
        While we work closely with Ms. McQuiston's organization,
    DARPA has a unique mission in both the DOD community and the
    broader U.S. technology ecosystem. That mission is to prevent
    strategic surprise by making investments in breakthrough
    technologies for national security.
        What that means is we anticipate, create, and demonstrate
    technologies that are nowhere on technology roadmaps and often
    outside most people's imaginations.
        For over 60 years now, in partnership with innovators,
    inside and outside government, DARPA has repeatedly delivered
    on our mission. We've transformed revolutionary concepts and
    seemingly impossibilities into practical capabilities.
        Examples of those capabilities include stealth technology,
    precision-guided weapons, unmanned aero-vehicles, as well as
    many icons in modern society, such as the Internet, automated
    voice recognition and language translation, and GPS receivers
    small enough to embed in nearly any consumer device.
        Technologies like these provide more options for our
    Nation's leaders and the military services and today, with
    increasingly complex challenges and a rapidly-changing world,
    DARPA's role has never been more vital.
        At DARPA, we think not just about scientific and
    engineering innovation now but also about the innovation
    ecosystem. That ecosystem includes many overlapping and
    adjacent communities from academia, industry, and government.
    It includes everything from fundamental research to global
    scale systems of systems. It includes innovation not only in
    technology but in processes and transition strategies, as well,
    and, most importantly, it includes a rotating cast of DARPA
    program managers who come from and will return to that
    ecosystem and who seek to solve not just today's problems but
    tomorrow's, as well.
        One of the best illustrations of how DARPA works is related
    to the COVID-19 pandemic. So about 5 years ago, when I was
    serving in a different role at DARPA, I spent a lot of time on
    the road trying to expand and diversify our pro forma base.
        One of the programs I talked about the most involved heavy
    investment into something called mRNA vaccines. So mRNA
    vaccines are pretty much a household word today, but at the
    time they were much, much more obscure and DARPA's investments
    were based on the insight of individual program managers who
    anticipated their need for both military and public health
    missions.
        The research that DARPA first initiated more than a decade
    ago is now playing a leading and catalytic role in today's
    fight against COVID-19. In typical DARPA fashion, we made
    significant investments in the technology years before it was
    known to be needed, leading to high-impact capabilities related
    to prevention, diagnostics, and treatment that have helped to
    mitigate the current crisis.
        From vaccines and diagnostics to defensive and offensive
    hypersonic technologies, state of the art artificial
    intelligence, quantum systems, micro-electronic solutions, and
    much, much more, DARPA has forged new paths and continues to
    deliver on our mission.
        I look forward to working with the members of this
    subcommittee and others in Congress to ensure the security and
    resilience of our Nation, and I would be most pleased to answer
    your questions.
        [The statement follows:]
                  Prepared Statement of Dr. Stefanie Tompkins
        Chairman Tester, Ranking Member Shelby and Members of the
    Subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to testify before you
    today. I am Stefanie Tompkins, Director of the Defense Advanced
    Research Projects Agency, DARPA. It is a pleasure to be here with my
    colleague, Ms. Barbara McQuiston, from the office of the Undersecretary
    for Research and Engineering (USD(R&E)) in the Department of Defense.
    Our organizations work together every day to advance our Nation's
    defense technologies. DARPA plays a particular role in this community
    and in the broader U.S. technology ecosystem. That role is to
    anticipate, create, and demonstrate breakthrough technologies that are
    outside and beyond conventional approaches--technologies that hold the
    potential for extraordinary advances in national security capability.
        For more than 60 years, DARPA has held to a singular and enduring
    mission: to make pivotal investments in breakthrough technologies for
    national security. Working with innovators inside and outside
    government, DARPA has repeatedly delivered on that mission,
    transforming revolutionary concepts and seeming impossibilities into
    practical capabilities. The results have included game-changing
    military capabilities like precision weapons, stealth technology, and
    unmanned aerial vehicles, as well as icons of modern civilian society
    such as the internet, automated voice recognition and language
    translation, and Global Positioning System receivers small enough to
    embed in myriad consumer devices.
        DARPA creates and executes programs that rely on and inspire an
    innovation ecosystem of academic, corporate, and government partners.
    We focus on developing capabilities for national security leaders and
    the nation's military services, who work with us to create new
    strategic opportunities and novel tactical options. For decades, this
    interlocking ecosystem of collaborators has proven to nurture intense
    creativity. Today, DARPA's role has never been more vital. From being
    front and center in our nation's fight against the COVID-19 virus, to
    defensive as well as offensive hypersonics technologies, state of-the-
    art artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, and directed energy
    solutions, DARPA today is delivering on our most pressing security
    needs.
        DARPA pursues game-changing technologies and capabilities in a way
    that provides surprising advantage for U.S. and Allied warfighters and
    at a much faster pace than the state of the art. DARPA's work with the
    Services and other agencies aims to meet not just known but as-yet
    unrecognized needs and move swiftly to deployment. That includes an
    increased emphasis on prototyping and joint projects--and, especially,
    a tighter emphasis on designing, building, and testing aspects of
    technology. Today, I will focus my testimony on how DARPA seeks to: 1)
    counter near-peer adversaries, 2) extend DARPA innovation to the
    warfighter and beyond, and 3) promote continued American innovation
    throughout the broader S&T ecosystem of university and industry
    partners.
    1. Countering Near-Peer Adversaries
        We seek to present adversaries with surprising warfighting
    scenarios that create dilemmas or completely disrupt their decision
    calculus. To do so, we must disrupt our own warfighting enterprises and
    provide decisive advantage across air, land, and sea, as well as space,
    cyberspace, and the electromagnetic spectrum. Big, monolithic platforms
    designed, built, and procured to do everything cost too much, take too
    long to field, and are usually technologically outdated by the time
    they are available. DARPA seeks a new asymmetric advantage--one that
    imposes complexity on adversaries by harnessing the power of dynamic,
    coordinated, highly autonomous, and flexible architectures.
                A. New Warfighting Constructs
        Modern warfare is becoming less about singular platform and weapon
    capabilities, and more about combinations of systems that can be
    rapidly developed and composed into more effective warfighting
    constructs. DARPA's Assault Breaker II (ABII) and Mosaic initiatives,
    along with their resulting technologies, seek to fundamentally change
    the way the military thinks about designing, buying, and deploying
    future systems.
        First, the ABII program addresses several challenges posed by our
    near-peer competitors. Patterned after the original Assault Breaker
    program in the late 1970's, a memorandum of agreement was signed by
    DARPA and the vice chiefs of all five Services to establish a joint
    service team creating technology solutions to these critical
    challenges. Interacting closely with the intelligence, military
    operator, and technology communities, the team's first objective is to
    design warfighting operational constructs based on new and emerging
    technologies and capabilities.
        The program's second objective is to develop an advanced modelling
    and simulation environment to support analysis of true cross-domain
    (seafloor to space) cross-service warfighting constructs. Finally, the
    program is tying the advanced modelling and simulation environment into
    an interactive experiment environment to support exploration of highly
    complex, interdependent approaches that characterize the future of
    warfighting.
        ABII seeks to organize this evolution in warfighting and act as a
    conduit to both communicate technology solutions to the services as
    well as articulate critical challenges to the technology development
    community in a manner where they can appreciate the larger picture.
    ABII will serve as the technical baseline for multi- domain operations
    moving forward.
        In addition to ABII, DARPA has also been spearheading the
    ``Mosaic'' construct of future warfare. The Mosaic concept posits that
    using less expensive systems brought together on demand as the conflict
    unfolds, could facilitate the creation of ``effects webs,'' enabling
    diverse, agile applications--from a kinetic engagement in a remote
    desert setting, to multiple small strike teams operating in a bustling
    megacity, or an information operation to counter an adversary spreading
    false information in a population threatening friendly forces and
    strategic objectives. Mosaics, therefore, can rapidly be tailored to
    accommodate available resources, adapt to dynamic threats, and be
    resilient to losses and attrition. Two Mosaic-related technologies--a
    novel decision aid for mission commanders and a rapid software
    integration tool--played a critical role in the recent Air Force
    demonstration of the Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS).
        The Adapting Cross-domain Kill-webs (ACK) program and the System-
    of-systems Technology Integration Tool Chain for Heterogeneous
    Electronic Systems (STITCHES) were among a number of technologies
    employed late last summer in the ABMS on-ramp demonstration, which
    involved attacks using live aircraft, ships, air defense batteries, and
    other assets. ACK is developing a decision aid for mission commanders
    to assist them with rapidly identifying and selecting options for
    tasking--and re-tasking--assets within and across organizational
    boundaries. Specifically, ACK assists users with selecting sensors,
    effectors, and support elements across military domains (space, air,
    land, surface, subsurface, and cyber) that span the different military
    services to deliver desired effects on targets. Instead of limited,
    monolithic, pre-defined kill chains, these more disaggregated forces
    can be used to formulate adaptive ``kill webs'' based on all of the
    options available.
        ACK was used in an air defense scenario during the ABMS
    demonstration, where an air commander faced incoming aerial threats and
    needed to quickly decide the best way to counter them. In the demo, the
    ACK decision aid software analyzed thousands of options to form cross-
    domain kill-webs and recommended assets and the best command-and-
    control ``play'' to the mission commander.
        The machine-to-machine communications to enable this distributed
    fire control was performed by the STITCHES integration toolchain.
    STITCHES is a software-only and fully government owned (non-
    proprietary) toolchain specifically designed to rapidly integrate
    heterogeneous systems across any domain. STITCHES innovation is in
    auto-generating middleware between systems without needing to upgrade
    hardware or breaking into existing system software. The toolchain does
    not force a common interface standard; rather it rapidly creates the
    needed connections based on existing fielded capabilities obviating the
    need to upgrade in order to interoperate.
                B. Responsive and Flexible Space Operations
        The Department of Defense has prioritized rapid acquisition of
    small satellite and launch capabilities. Through leveraging commercial
    acquisition practices, DARPA has been able to streamline a number of
    militarily-relevant missions in the last year from conception through
    services acquisition and launch. These missions are validating emerging
    concepts for resilient capabilities that would reside in low Earth
    orbit--a capability which will revolutionize communications,
    intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance.
        Right now, satellites critical to our national security and
    warfighting capabilities traditionally are custom designed. In the
    increasingly contested space environment, these exquisite yet costly
    and monolithic systems have become vulnerable targets that would take
    years to replace if degraded or destroyed.
        Meanwhile, the evolution of commercial space has led to the design
    and manufacturing of LEO constellations intended for broadband internet
    service, which could offer previously unavailable economies of scale.
    DARPA is interested in leveraging these advances through our Blackjack
    program and driving them forward in order to demonstrate military
    utility.
        Blackjack aims to develop and demonstrate the critical technical
    elements for building a global high-speed network backbone in low Earth
    orbit. That would enable highly networked, resilient, and persistent
    DoD payloads that provide over-the-horizon sensing, signals, and
    communication, and hold the ground, surface, and air domains in
    constant global custody. To do that, researchers are investigating
    innovative vehicle delivery approaches that enable revolutionary
    advances in payload size, weight, power, and cost.
        For Blackjack, we are targeting a series of risk reduction
    rideshare flights that will continue through this year. With these
    flights, the goal is to develop and validate the technologies necessary
    for the Blackjack constellation.
                C. Attribution of Malicious Cyber Actors
        DARPA researchers are identifying and addressing critical cyber
    vulnerabilities that threaten global stability and security. Malicious
    actors in cyberspace currently operate with little fear of being caught
    due to the fact that it is extremely difficult, in some cases perhaps
    even impossible, to attribute malicious actions in cyberspace to
    specific individuals. The reason cyber attribution is difficult stems
    at least in part from a lack of end-to-end accountability in the
    current internet infrastructure.
        To address this problem, DARPA launched the Enhanced Attribution
    (EA) program. EA is making currently opaque malicious cyber adversary
    actions and individual cyber operator attribution transparent by
    providing high-fidelity visibility into all aspects of malicious cyber
    operator actions. Furthermore, if successful, EA will increase the
    government's ability to publicly reveal the actions of individual
    malicious cyber operators without damaging sources and methods. Over
    the last three years the program has developed techniques and tools for
    generating operationally and tactically relevant information about
    multiple concurrent independent malicious cyber campaigns, each
    involving several operators, and the means to share such information
    with U.S. law enforcement, intelligence, and Allied partners.
        Late last year, DARPA EA researchers used their data analytics to
    develop timely, accurate threat information regarding Russian-
    attributed malicious cyber infrastructure and associated actor
    personas. EA shared this information with close partners at the FBI
    Atlanta and Pittsburgh field offices, contributing to the October 2020
    indictment of six GRU personnel associated with a worldwide destructive
    malware campaign and the remediation of that malware campaign in U.S.
    and Allied critical infrastructure.
                D. Hypersonics
        The ability to field hypersonic systems ranks high on the DoD's
    list of priority technologies, due in part to the pace of research by
    peer adversaries. Hypersonic flight at velocities of more than five
    times the speed of sound offers major advantages on the tactical
    battlefield, especially for conducting military operations from longer
    ranges, with shorter response times, and enhanced effectiveness
    compared to current military systems.
        DARPA is developing technology demonstrations in 2021 for a number
    of operational capabilities. For example, the Hypersonic Air-breathing
    Weapon Concept (HAWC) program is a joint effort with the U.S. Air Force
    (USAF) seeking to develop and demonstrate critical technologies to
    enable an effective and affordable air-launched hypersonic cruise
    missile. The program emphasizes efficient, rapid, and affordable flight
    tests to validate key technologies. HAWC is pursuing flight
    demonstrations to address three vital technology challenge areas: air
    vehicle feasibility, effectiveness, and affordability.
        The Tactical Boost Glide (TBG) program is another joint DARPA/USAF
    undertaking, striving to develop and demonstrate technologies to enable
    future air-launched, tactical-range hypersonic boost glide systems. In
    such systems, a rocket accelerates its payload to high speeds, the
    payload then separates from the rocket, and glides unpowered to its
    destination. TBG plans to include ground and flight-testing in 2021 to
    mature critical technologies and demonstrate system performance.
    2. Innovations for the Warfighter and Beyond
                A. Stopping Pandemics
        A primary aim of the DARPA Biological Technologies Office (BTO) is
    to improve total force health protection and readiness. One of the
    biggest vulnerabilities to deployed military personnel and civilians is
    a lack of protection against many endemic and emerging bio-threats
    (e.g., the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, or mosquito-borne viruses such as
    Chikungunya and Dengue).
        DARPA's approach to pandemic prevention advanced the current state
    of the art by enabling antibody discovery in days to weeks rather than
    months to years. Additionally, DARPA investments in new diagnostic
    platforms allowed researchers to pivot rapidly to emergent viruses such
    as COVID-19. In 2011, DARPA began investing in gene-encoded vaccines
    based on DNA or RNA. Unlike traditional vaccines, which nearly all
    require laborious, expensive, and lengthy development times to counter
    each new threat, gene-based vaccines have the advantage of directly
    delivering coded genetic instructions to the body on how to produce its
    own protective antibodies against a specific threat. This means gene-
    encoded vaccines can be easily manufactured at scale using largely
    synthetic processes, versus being cultured in eggs; transported and
    stored without many of the cold-chain logistics required by traditional
    medical countermeasures; delivered with near-immediate efficacy; and
    safely expressed in the body for only a limited duration, causing no
    permanent alteration to the genome. This approach has shown great
    promise as a means to provide safe, reproducible, long-term immune
    protection. However, vaccines often require more than one dose and
    weeks to months before protected status is achieved, creating
    vulnerability either directly to warfighters if they are deployed
    before immunity has been established or to the mission due to the
    delayed deployment of personnel until they achieve immune protection.
        DARPA's fundamental research and development (R&D) investments,
    fortunately, have resulted in discovery of several gene-encoded
    monoclonal antibody platforms, and has greatly de-risked the gene-
    based medical countermeasure (MCM) field. DARPA R&D investments have
    catalyzed significant commercial and transition interest. Several
    companies (including Moderna, AstraZeneca, and Inovio) have made major
    investments in the budding field of gene-encoded MCMs and have released
    vaccines to curb the spread of COVID-19. DARPA investments also spurred
    spin-out companies such as RenBio, which is optimizing the delivery of
    gene-based MCMs for increased efficacy and tolerability.
        Early in 2020, DARPA allied closely with department medical and
    chem/bio defense organizations as well as Health and Human Services
    (HHS) components to join the fight against COVID-19. Many of these
    intergovernmental allies--including the DoD's Joint Program Executive
    Office for Chemical and Biologic Defense (JPEO CBD), the HHS Biomedical
    Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), and the HHS
    National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID)--partner
    with DARPA to perform advanced development after our initial
    investments, ensuring the scale-up and distribution of novel medical
    countermeasures.
        Building on existing DARPA investments to accelerate the discovery
    of novel countermeasures, DARPA-funded researchers were responsible for
    discovering therapeutics--antibodies--from blood samples of recovered
    coronavirus patients. DARPA also partnered with advanced developers
    (public and private) to manufacture at scale using DNA/RNA techniques
    in addition to traditional cell-based bio-manufacturing.
                B. Extending the ``Golden Hour"
        When a Service member suffers a traumatic injury or acute
    infection, the time from event to first medical treatment is usually
    the single most significant factor in determining the outcome between
    life and death. First responders must act as quickly as possible, first
    to ensure a patient's survival and then to prevent permanent
    disability. The Department of Defense refers to this critical, initial
    window of time as the ``golden hour,'' but in many cases the
    opportunity to successfully intervene may be less than sixty minutes,
    which is why the military invests so heavily in moving casualties as
    rapidly as possible from the battlefield to suitable medical
    facilities. However, due to the realities of combat, there are often
    hard limits to the availability of rapid medical transport and
    emergency care.
        DARPA created the Biostasis program in 2018 to develop new
    possibilities for extending the golden hour, not by improving logistics
    or battlefield care, but by going after time itself, at least how the
    body manages it. Biostasis is attempting to address the need for
    additional time in continuously operating biological systems faced with
    catastrophic, life-threatening events. The program leverages molecular
    biology to control temporarily the speed at which living systems
    operate, and thus extend the window of time following a damaging event
    before a system collapses. Essentially, the concept aims to slow life
    to save life.
                C. Serving Wounded Veterans
        With a focus on wounded warriors and facilitating their return to
    military service, the Hand Proprioception and Touch Interfaces (HAPTIX)
    program is pursuing key technologies to enable precision control of and
    sensory feedback from sensor-equipped upper-limb prosthetic devices. If
    successful, the resulting system would provide users near-natural
    control of prosthetic hands and arms via bi-directional peripheral
    nerve implants. The program has a strong focus on technology transition
    and aims to create clinically relevant technology in support of wounded
    warriors suffering from single or multiple limb loss.
        HAPTIX builds on prior DARPA investments in the Reliable Neural-
    Interface Technology (RE-NET) program, which created novel neural
    interface systems that overcame previous sensor reliability issues
    (sensors now last for the lifetime of the patient). A key focus of
    HAPTIX is on creating new technologies to interface permanently and
    continuously with the peripheral nerves in humans. HAPTIX researchers
    are designing technologies to tap into the motor and sensory signals of
    the arm to allow users to control and sense the prosthesis via the same
    neural signaling pathways used for intact limbs. Direct access to these
    natural control signals will, if successful, enable more natural,
    intuitive control of complex hand movements, and the addition of
    sensory feedback will further improve prosthetic hand functionality by
    enabling users to sense grip force and hand posture. Sensory feedback
    may also provide important psychological benefits such as improving
    prosthesis ``embodiment'' and reducing the phantom limb pain that is
    suffered by approximately 80 percent of amputees.
        In addition to seeking to return sensation to amputees, DARPA is
    also aggressively investigating technical solutions to spinal cord
    injury (SCI), which is of significant concern to the Department of
    Defense. Of the 337,000 Americans with serious SCIs, approximately
    44,000 are veterans, with 11,000 new injuries occurring each year. SCI
    is a complex condition--the injured often face lifelong paralysis and
    increased long-term morbidity due to factors such as sepsis and
    autonomic nervous system dysfunction. While considerable research
    efforts have been devoted toward restorative and therapeutic
    technologies to SCIs, significant challenges remain.
        DARPA's Bridging the Gap Plus (BG+) program aims to develop new
    approaches to treating SCI by integrating injury stabilization,
    regenerative therapy, and functional restoration. Last year, DARPA
    announced the award of contracts to a handful of university researchers
    to advance this crucial work. Multidisciplinary teams at each of these
    universities are tasked with developing systems of implantable,
    adaptive devices that aim to reduce injury effects during early phases
    of SCI, and potentially restore function during the later chronic
    phase.
    3. Promoting American Innovation
        One of the classic models of technology development begins with
    basic research that uncovers a new principle or phenomenon, which
    innovators then apply and develop into a new capability that enables
    people to do more than they could before. This model cannot account for
    the origin of all of the technologies DARPA has had a hand in, but it
    applies to many of them. Indeed, DARPA's job is to change what's
    possible--to do the fundamental research, the proof of principle, and
    the early stages of technology development that take ``impossible''
    ideas through ``implausible'' and then to, surprisingly, ``possible''
    or even ``likely.'' No other DoD agency has the mission of working on
    projects with such a high possibility of producing truly revolutionary
    new capabilities--or such a high possibility of failure. A big part of
    DARPA's expertise is seeking high pay off capabilities by managing risk
    in ways that help keep the innovation pipeline flowing. The following
    are examples of the kinds of foundational efforts that promise to
    impact national security just like other DARPA ``firsts,'' including
    the ARPAnet, miniaturized GPS, stealth aircraft, UAVs, and monoclonal
    antibody therapeutics.
                A. Artificial Intelligence
        DARPA has been a leader in artificial intelligence since the 1960s.
    We played key roles in realizing the first and second waves of AI
    (first rule-based, then statistical-learning-based), and now we are
    working to realize the third wave, which can be described as contextual
    adaptation. To better define a path forward, DARPA announced in
    September 2018 a multi-year investment of over $2 billion in new and
    existing programs called the ``AI Next'' campaign.
        Currently, DARPA is pursing more than 30 programs that are
    exploring ways to advance the state-of-the-art in AI, pushing beyond
    second-wave machine learning techniques towards contextual reasoning
    capabilities. In addition, more than 60 active programs are applying AI
    in some capacity, from agents collaborating to share electromagnetic
    spectrum bandwidth to detecting and patching cyber vulnerabilities.
        Under the AI Next campaign, key areas being explored include
    automating critical DoD business processes; improving the robustness
    and reliability of AI systems; enhancing the security and resiliency of
    machine learning and AI technologies; reducing power, data, and
    performance inefficiencies; and pioneering the next generation of AI
    algorithms and applications, such as ``explainability'' and commonsense
    reasoning.
        DARPA also announced a quick-turn funding mechanism called
    Artificial Intelligence Exploration (AIE) that allows us to quickly
    test the feasibility of AI concepts by rapidly developing prototypes.
    AIE Opportunities are released on a rolling basis from across DARPA's
    portfolio, providing awards in as little as 90 days of up to $1 million
    each for 18-month periods of performance. During these periods of
    performance, very high-risk, high-reward topics will be investigated
    with the goal of determining feasibility and clarifying whether the
    area is ready for increased investment. The ultimate goal of each AIE
    Opportunity is to invest in research that leads to prototype
    development that may result in new, game-changing AI technologies for
    U.S. national security. To date, we have made 141 contract awards for
    more than 20 AIE topics.
        A representative example of DARPA's AI Next campaign is the Assured
    Autonomy program, which is working to provide continual assurance of a
    learning enabled cyber physical system's (LE-CPS) safety and functional
    correctness. The program is developing mathematically verifiable
    approaches and tools that can be applied to different types and
    applications of data-driven machine learning algorithms in an LE-CPS to
    enhance their autonomy and assure they are achieving an acceptable
    level of safety. To help ground the research objectives, the program is
    prioritizing challenge problems in the defense-relevant autonomous
    vehicle space, specifically related to air, land, and underwater
    platforms.
        To assess the technologies in development, research teams
    integrated them into a small number of autonomous demonstration systems
    and evaluated each against various defense-relevant challenges. After
    18 months of research and development on the assurance methods, tools,
    and learning enabled capabilities (LECs), the program is exhibiting
    early signs of progress.
        During a recent demonstration, DARPA researchers integrated tools
    with an Iron Bird X-Plane simulation and a small test bed aircraft, and
    tested them against challenge problems relevant to ground operations,
    specifically assuring taxi operations on an airfield or aircraft
    carrier deck.
        During the live aircraft exercise, the assurance methods were able
    to detect the presence of an obstacle during taxi, which triggered a
    safety that identified and executed a response route around the
    obstacle. The assurance methods also detected when the camera feed was
    being noised or obscured, kicking-in a safety method that identified
    and executed what it deemed the safest response--stopping the aircraft
    until it could safely resume operations. Additionally, the tools were
    able to detect anomalies that could cause their LEC to misbehave, and
    allowed the system to maintain safe operations despite those anomalies.
    Further, the use of formal models and specifications provided
    assurances about the system's safety both at design and run time.
                B. Microelectronics
        In June 2017, DARPA announced the Electronics Resurgence Initiative
    (ERI) as a bold response to several technical and economic trends in
    the microelectronics sector. Among these trends, the rapid increase in
    the cost and complexity of advanced microelectronics design and
    manufacture is challenging a half-century of progress under Moore's
    Law, which holds that the number of transistors per silicon chip
    doubles about every two years. Meanwhile, non-market foreign forces are
    working to shift the electronics innovation engine overseas, while
    cost-driven foundry consolidation has limited DoD access to leading-
    edge electronics, challenging U.S. economic and security advantages.
    Moreover, highly publicized challenges to the nation's digital backbone
    are fostering a new appreciation for electronics security--a longtime
    defense concern.
        Building on the tradition of other successful government-industry
    partnerships, ERI aims to forge forward-looking collaborations among
    the commercial electronics community, defense industrial base,
    university researchers, and the DoD to address these challenges. There
    is significant historical precedent to suggest the viability of this
    approach, as each wave of modern electronics development has benefitted
    from the combination of defense-funded academic research and commercial
    sector investment.
        Given today's cost, complexity, and security challenges, it is
    critical that the nation collaboratively innovate on the next
    generation of electronics advancement. DARPA envisions four key areas
    of development--3D heterogeneous integration, new materials & devices,
    specialized functions, and design & security--each of which have been
    central to ERI since its inception. Leveraging 3D heterogeneous
    integration, the next wave should support continuing electronics
    progress despite challenges to traditional silicon scaling. This
    integration will enable innovators to both add new materials and
    devices to the silicon foundation and create specialized functions
    precisely designed to meet the diverse needs of the commercial and
    defense sectors. To manage the complexity of working in three
    dimensions, the next wave will also demand new architectures and design
    tools that address rising design costs, enable rapid system upgrades,
    and make security integration a primary design concern. Several
    technological advancements developed in the DARPA CHIPS, PIPES, and HI3
    programs are in transition leveraging SOTA commercial manufacturers in
    the OUSD(R&E) the State-of-the-art (SOTA) Heterogeneous Integrated
    Packaging (SHIP) program. This is a critical microelectronics
    performance enabler for DoD modernization priorities, including
    hypersonics, Artificial Intelligence, 5G, Cyber, and Space.
                C. 5G Networks
        Emerging 5G mobile wireless networking technologies are slated to
    dramatically increase in both scale and speed, enabling much faster
    access to data collected from billions of connected devices (60 billion
    nodes by 2023). This supercharged information highway is envisioned to
    play an important role across many industries, ranging from medicine to
    manufacturing. Major advances in 5G will make it easier to customize
    the network at a wide variety of locations. This new flexibility offers
    many benefits, but at the same time introduces novel security
    challenges. Today's proprietary 5G technologies make it difficult to
    achieve the transparency necessary for security-related risk analysis
    and mitigation. This lack of security assurance makes it harder to
    deploy these technologies for defense capabilities.
        In 2020, DARPA created the Open, Programmable, Secure 5G (OPS-5G)
    program to tackle many of the security challenges facing future
    wireless networks. OPS-5G is exploring the development of a portable,
    standards-compliant network stack for 5G mobile networks that is open
    source, and secure by design. The program seeks to enable a ``plug-and-
    play'' approach to various network software and hardware components,
    which reduces reliance on untrusted technology sources. OPS-5G will
    also explore the development of cost-effective SWaP-conscious
    cryptography with scalable security protocols. Overall, the goal of
    OPS-5G is to enable more secure 5G as well as future generations of
    networks beyond 5G.
                D. Quantum Information Science
        Quantum information science (QIS) includes computation,
    communication, and sensing technologies that exploit our understanding
    of quantum mechanics. Theory promises significant advances over the
    state of the art, with some practical successes, but much of the QIS
    field remains technically nascent. The successes are largely related to
    sensors that deliver exquisite sensitive measurements in small
    packages. For the DoD, this supports RF devices for radar and
    communications, it also enables precise stable measurement of time--
    useful for communication and for navigation. Much has been published on
    the use of quantum technology for secure communications, a technical
    area that saw successful DARPA investments over a decade ago. The
    capabilities promised by theorists for quantum computation have been
    more elusive. The notion of a quantum computer that can outperform
    conventional computers to solve useful problems is attractive, but in
    practice has not been possible to achieve.
        DARPA is currently pursuing basic and applied QIS research. One
    program aims to produce small portable devices that maintain GPS-
    quality time and position for weeks--in the absence of GPS signals.
    Another program seeks to understand what may be the limits of
    electromagnetic sensing using clouds of atoms. Several programs explore
    aspects of quantum computation to determine which approach offers the
    most promise for substantial practical advantage. These computation
    efforts include two of note: how to use a moderate number of imperfect
    quantum bits, while another seeks to bring rigor to the fledgling
    quantum computing marketplace with the introduction of insightful
    benchmarking. There is much valuable science that quantum-based
    computation may make possible in diverse fields including material
    science, machine learning, and biology, but it remains a DARPA-hard
    field in which to work.
                E. Nurturing the Innovation Base
        Over the past two years, DARPA's Embedded Entrepreneurship
    Initiative (EEI) pilot program has helped 30 pre-seed research teams
    raise over $100 million in U.S. investment, spin out a dozen new
    companies, establish numerous joint development agreements with
    corporate partners, and commission multiple manufacturing facilities.
    In February of this year, DARPA launched an expansion of EEI with the
    goal of accelerating 150 DARPA-backed technologies out of the lab and
    into products that promise to fundamentally change the way we live,
    work, and fight. The initiative augments technical research teams with
    critical entrepreneurial expertise, top-tier commercialization mentors,
    and provides connections to investors. This important work delivers an
    effective counter to aggressive foreign investors by building stronger
    companies that have the ability to attract U.S. capital.
        In this effort, DARPA is teaming with IQT Emerge, a new
    organization within In-Q-Tel (IQT) that provides entrepreneurial
    expertise as well as connections to early-stage U.S. investors. IQT
    Emerge leverages IQT's unique place at the intersection of venture
    capital, government, and the startup community to keep the national
    security community at the forefront of technology innovation.
        EEI provides catalytic funding, mentorship, and investor and
    corporate connections for select DARPA researchers. Resources include:
    an average of $250,000 in non-dilutive funding to hire a seasoned
    entrepreneur or business executive for one to two years with the goal
    of developing a robust go-to-market strategy for both defense and
    commercial markets; dedicated commercialization mentors with extensive
    private sector experience; and engagement with DARPA's private sector
    Transition Working Group comprising over 100 top-tier U.S. investors
    and corporations key to scaling and supply chain development.
        DARPA-funded scientists and engineers are an invaluable resource
    for national competitiveness. Supporting these researchers with
    tailored business expertise to advance their innovations for public and
    military use is critical to obtain the full benefit from taxpayer
    funded R&D investments.
        Since 2018, roughly the same time frame from the inception of EEI,
    DARPA has also stepped up its outreach to university researchers.
    Security concerns in recent years have significantly increased the
    barriers to university research for the DoD, and better communication
    of opportunities and expectations is critical to minimizing those
    barriers. DARPA's academic outreach initiative began in earnest with
    visits to a handful of public universities. During the pandemic,
    however, the agency was forced to change tactics and hosted a large
    virtual event in September 2020 called the ``DARPA Vice Presidents and
    Chancellors of Research Summit.'' The Summit attracted 223
    representatives from 126 schools across the nation; twenty percent of
    the schools had never done business with the agency. During the three-
    hour summit, participants learned about the agency's near-term
    investment priorities and how to pursue funding opportunities through
    existing contract vehicles.
        In addition to small business and university outreach efforts
    currently underway, DARPA also has three formal programs aimed at
    supporting the next generation of researchers. The first effort is the
    Joint University Microelectronics Program (JUMP). JUMP is a major
    public/private initiative that includes several leading companies from
    the semiconductor and defense industries such as Intel, IBM, Micron,
    Analog Devices, EMD Performance Materials, ARM, Samsung, TSMC,
    Raytheon, Northrop Grumman, and Lockheed Martin who have tasked six
    research centers to undertake high-risk, high-payoff research that
    addresses existing and emerging challenges in microelectronic
    technologies. JUMP comes at an inflection point in the history of the
    semiconductor industry where application and system research are
    critical to enabling the development of superior electronic systems to
    meet DoD and commercial needs.
        Under JUMP, the challenges of the ``application-centric'' research
    centers focus on accomplishing application-oriented goals and spurring
    the development of complex systems with capabilities well beyond those
    available today. Diving deep into cognitive computing, intelligent
    memory and storage, distributed computing and networking, and radio
    frequency (RF) to terahertz (THz) sensor and communications systems,
    among other areas, these research centers are developing systems that
    will be transferable to military and industry in a five year timeframe
    and ready for field deployment in ten years.
        Also, earlier this year, DARPA announced a post-doctoral fellowship
    program for talented young scientists, engineers, and mathematicians in
    the field of computer science with grants sized to support each fellow
    for up to two years. Participation in DARPA's new program is open to
    current U.S. citizens and permanent residents who have received a Ph.D.
    degree no earlier than June 2019 or who will have received a Ph.D.
    prior to the date of award, and who will be appointed to a postdoctoral
    position at a U.S. institution of higher education during the 2021-22
    academic year.
        The longest running program that DARPA has supporting university
    researchers is the Young Faculty Awards (YFA), which has been providing
    funding opportunities since 2006 as a forward-looking way to
    familiarize rising researchers in junior positions with national-
    security-relevant work within the DoD. The YFA program provides
    funding, mentoring, as well as industry and DoD contacts to awardees
    early in their careers with the long-term goal of developing the next
    generation of academic scientists, engineers, and mathematicians who
    will focus a significant portion of their career on national security
    issues. To date, 447 researchers from 40 states have participated in
    the YFA program.
                                   conclusion
        From DARPA's perspective, the technological future--the endless
    frontier--is enormously attractive, bright with opportunities, but also
    fraught with unanticipated risks. For more than 60 years, the men and
    women of DARPA have taken very seriously their unique mission to serve
    the Nation by preventing--and when necessary fomenting--technological
    surprise.
        Although I have just recently returned to DARPA, it is clear to me
    that we are stronger and more committed to that mission than ever. I
    look forward to working with the members of this subcommittee and
    others in the Legislative and Executive branches to ensure that the
    United States maintains its historic lead in the investigation and
    development of powerful technologies, in addition to their safe and
    responsible application in support of a more stable, secure, and
    sustainable world.

        Senator Tester. Thank you, Dr. Tompkins, for your
    testimony.
        Because Senator Durbin has a commitment for the Memorial
    Service, I'm going to recognize him first.
        Senator Durbin: Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, and
    thank you to the witnesses who have joined us today.
        I guess my opening question is not going to be specific to
    any area of innovation but just very generic.
        If you ask the Department of Defense and previous
    Administrations and I'll bet in this one, as well, who are our
    hard targets, who are our major adversaries in the world, they
    would usually report four pretty obvious ones, China, Russia,
    North Korea, and Iran, and then if you'd ask a follow-up
    question, how much do each of these major adversaries spend in
    their annual budget for their military, you would find numbers
    that range from very small to still very modest in comparison
    to the United States.
        The reason I raise this question regularly is we spend more
    than all of the other nations in the world on defense and
    security. We certainly want to be safe as a Nation, but it's
    our job here in this committee to ask a question, are we
    getting our money's worth out of this, and when it comes to
    innovation, I noticed, Ms. McQuiston, in your statement, as
    well as the statement by Dr. Tompkins, there was reference to
    competition with adversaries.
        You would think when you consider the hundreds of billions
    of dollars that we spend each year, that that would hardly ever
    be the case. It's like a high school team regularly beating the
    New York Yankees. You just don't expect that to happen when you
    compare the resources that are being dedicated.
        Can you put innovation in that context and ask whether or
    not our investment in innovation gives us a natural lead, an
    acquired lead in this competition that the budget figures
    belie?
        Ms. McQuiston. I will take that answer. We're very lucky.
    We just started the Innovation Steering Group under Deputy
    Secretary Hicks, and what we're doing in innovation is looking
    across the DOD as transforming a lot of the processes in order
    to be better adaptors of technology and to more efficiently and
    rapidly modernize.
        Our services have the burden sometimes of having the legacy
    systems and the newer technologies and disruptive technologies
    coming onboard. We're moving modernization ahead, but we can
    always do it better and more innovatively.
        When I think of innovation, I think of two things:
    efficiency and effectiveness. So efficiency is doing things
    right and effectiveness is doing the right thing. So with the
    range of new technologies that can be adopted at a greater
    speed for us, I believe that we can come up to par and actually
    exceed the market and our competitors.
        Senator Durbin. So I've read some histories of DARPA,
    Pentagon's Brain, and books like that, very impressive, and I
    notice that time and again there was disruptive thinking and
    planning and some of it fell flat on its face but that's to be
    expected.
        So I guess my question is as we fund things already
    discovered with massive amounts of taxpayers' dollars, how do
    you combat the fighting the last war syndrome and establishment
    syndrome that says we've got to keep doing more of what we've
    done before, and how do you get into asymmetrical thinking in
    an establishment as large as the Department of Defense?
        Ms. McQuiston. The Disruptive Innovation Unit that we have
    under Research and Engineering has that mission entirely
    because they're working with the National Security Innovation
    Network, the National Security Capital, and bringing in market
    innovations and commercialized technologies. With the
    activities to date, they have a 189 companies now on contract.
    75 percent are small business, 32 percent are first-time
    vendors, and 10 percent have already transitioned into military
    use, and that's the key, to be flexible and to work at speed,
    at commercial speed in order to integrate the technology
    rapidly into the service.
        At the same time, we need to understand what the disruptive
    technology can mean for our advantage and also for the needs
    within the military, so war gaming and putting together
    exercises and demonstration to show what could be capable.
        As DARPA can show you, a lot of times we put the needs and
    the requirements forward but oftentimes the newer technology is
    a capability that no one even concede would have been possible.
    So it's the merging of the future with the needs of today that
    actually will keep technology in the leading edge and keep us
    competitive with the national security and the economic
    security of our country.
        Senator Durbin. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        Senator Tester. Senator Shelby.
        Senator Shelby. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you for this
    hearing. I think it's very important.
        As I said earlier, I don't know what we can get into that's
    sensitive in this open hearing today, but the Chairman has
    indicated that we will have a closed hearing and hope to get
    you back and so forth.
        In the area of quantum and artificial intelligence, China
    and Russia, you know, we all know, are advancing their military
    technologies always, and increasing their defense budgets at
    alarming rates.
        How is the department continuing to reform its processes
    and investment decisions to ensure that the U.S. will maintain
    the technical dominance necessary to deter our adversaries, and
    what can you speak to in this area? I don't know.
        Ms. McQuiston. Well, there's a few things I can speak to.
    We have been looking at quantum from the scientific side
    probably at least 20 years or more, but we've had success----
        Senator Shelby. Touch on how important quantum computing is
    if we can ever work it all out, and it's also important to our
    adversaries, is it not?
        Ms. McQuiston. Yes, actually, the future of network
    technology and security will greatly rely on quantum
    technology, and DARPA, I know, has had initiatives in this
    area.
        I'm happy to say that a lot of them are starting to see
    commercialization, as well. So I think our investment in that
    area is starting to pay off. So I think you will actually see
    more activity on there.
        Some of the technologies we can brief you in another venue.
        Senator Shelby. What trade-offs in the area of hypersonics
    are we having to make as it relates to weapon development and
    fielding which would come with it due to resource constraints?
    Are you getting what you need at DARPA for this sensitive, very
    important research?
        Dr. Tompkins. Yes, sir. To the extent that I can----
        Senator Shelby. Go ahead.
        Dr. Tompkins [continuing]. Discuss this in this hearing,
    the support that we have on our hypersonics program, both
    offensive and defensive, is adequate and we can go into more
    details on trade-offs in a different venue.
        Senator Shelby. Okay. In the area of space development, 2
    years ago the Space Development Agency was created to
    accelerate the development and fielding of the next generation
    space capabilities.
        Where we are there today and where are our adversaries?
        Ms. McQuiston. Well, I'm happy to say for what the Space
    Development Agency has put together is rapidly developing new
    space architectures and commercial development processes in
    alignment with capabilities and speed.
        We're integrating ground stations for advanced data links
    at Fort Greely, Alaska. We're working with putting forward
    constructive disruptors for operations at LEO (Low Earth
    Orbit). The first satellite demonstrations for communication
    are scheduled for fiscal year 2022, and working on what I would
    call commercial speeds, commercial launch speeds and setting up
    satellite operations at Grand Forks and at Redstone Arsenal.
        I really do believe that speed and adaptation of spiral
    development and what we already see in commercial launch
    processes is where we need to step up in timing for being able
    to put our capability up in space. So, again, if we want to
    talk specifics on where we are tactically in another venue, we
    would be happy to go into that.
        Senator Shelby. Thank you. Dr. Tompkins, in the area of
    cyber technology, how important is quantum computing and
    hopefully good research coming out of there? What will that do
    for us, hopefully do for us?
        Dr. Tompkins. So in cyber technology, quantum computing
    offers a few different opportunity spaces.
        One obviously is in the area of quantum encryption which I
    think has been most broadly discussed. The other, I think, is
    in the area of quantum computing and simulation, which then
    allows us to solve different kinds of optimization and sort of
    complexity-type problems, which would allow us to focus on
    analyzing, understanding, modeling, and predicting a much wider
    range of potential cyber behaviors and activities, and then,
    similarly, defending against them.
        Senator Shelby. Dr. Tompkins, one more question, if I
    could. In the area of hypersonics, we all know that we've got a
    challenge there as far as developing the hypersonic offensive
    weapon and also defending against it.
        Where are we today, and what kind of timeframe do you think
    we have before we can really field what we need for the
    security of the country?
        Dr. Tompkins. So DARPA has two initiatives in the defensive
    hypersonics arena. Details of both obviously, as you had
    mentioned, are going to have to go into a different session.
        There is one very specifically, the Program Glide Breaker,
    in which we're working closely with NDA to derisk certain key
    aspects of the overall technology space. The timing of exactly
    when the transition of those technologies would go into a
    broader end-to-end system.
        I think it's both a conversation that goes beyond just
    DARPA but also does require the ability to talk in a closed
    setting.
        Senator Shelby. Thank you. Mr. Chairman, thank you for your
    indulgence.
        Senator Tester. Yes. Thank you, Senator Shelby.
        Ms. McQuiston, I want to touch on a couple things. I want
    to touch on, Number 1, our competitiveness compared to where we
    were 5 or 10 years ago and how you assess our success. I know
    you talked about war gaming, I want to get into that a little
    more, but let's start with our competitiveness compared to
    where we were. Are we ahead, behind?
        Ms. McQuiston. I think the United States is one of the best
    innovators of technology overall. I think that we have some of
    the brightest people, the determination, the freedom, the
    flexible financial systems, and the determination to really
    succeed.
        To match that with the Department of Defense, we need to
    have the same innovative culture as we have in our commercial
    industry. That's why adoption of commercial technology at the
    speed of which activities occur in the commercial world will be
    critical to more rapidly be able to gain the capabilities that
    the new technology and modernization will give to the military.
        We are in a good position but we can always be in a much
    better one.
        Senator Tester. So is it fair to say, by what you've just
    said, that we are more competitive today than we were 5 or 10
    years ago?
        Ms. McQuiston. I believe we are, and I believe it's because
    we are modernizing.
        Senator Tester. Okay. And then how do you assess that
    competitiveness? How do you assess, you know, defining where
    we're at?
        Ms. McQuiston. Well, you know, in an open session along
    this line, I would actually point to the vaccine technology.
    We've been thinking a lot about new frontiers, about challenges
    that the world is facing right now, and we've been thinking
    about them and doing things for awhile, and so surprises never
    come--disruptive technology never comes out of the blue.
        DARPA has been our great jewel in being able to anticipate
    these things and start the technology ecosystem in new
    capabilities that have really been transformational for the
    United States.
        Senator Tester. Okay. So one more, and that is, innovative
    technologies cover a wide range, how are we prioritizing those
    investments, and could you give me a preview of the
    Administration's priorities? They may be the same answer for
    both questions.
        Ms. McQuiston. At Research and Engineering, the Office of
    Modernization currently has 11 priorities. They fold into a lot
    of what is going on relative to being able to add capabilities,
    such as in AI (Artificial Intelligence), hypersonics, other
    areas of the 11 modernization techniques. Some of them will be
    more mature and able to have rapid adaptation. Other
    technologies will need more time, based on its development.
    That said, I do believe we can move faster to adopt those
    technologies.
        With regards to where they stand with the Administration,
    the Secretary of Defense and the prioritizations, I would defer
    to the agency overall.
        Senator Tester. Okay. Dr. Tompkins, DARPA invented the
    Internet for the Department of Defense. It was adopted
    worldwide.
        You talked about the mRNA vaccines. Are you working on any
    other technologies that have broader appeal beyond the
    Department of Defense, Dr. Tompkins?
        Dr. Tompkins. Certainly. One example would be work that
    we're doing in 5G technologies for communications. So, you
    know, 5G is one of those areas which suffers a little bit from
    siloed, proprietary, vendor-driven capabilities, and so DARPA
    has a program called Open Co-fundable and Secure 5G, which
    basically seeks to create an open source 5G capability which
    would open up both from military perspectives and also
    ultimately from commercial/economic perspectives the power of
    5G for a wide range of sort of dual-use capabilities.
        Senator Tester. All right. I'm going to go to Senator
    Moran.
        Senator Moran. Mr. Chairman, thank you very much. Thank
    both of our witnesses for joining us.
        Let me begin by asking a question of Dr. Tompkins about
    cybersecurity. This has been a priority of mine and we have
    lots of reasons for that to be the case. It's important, but
    could you describe for me how mosaics and other related cyber
    initiatives will not only support the department's cyber
    defense but the industrial partners that are critical to our
    Nation's security?
        Dr. Tompkins. Certainly. So DARPA has a fairly large number
    of different programs focusing on cybersecurity with priorities
    in the areas of prevention, so things like network operations
    analytics, but as well as looking at topics in the area of
    attack attribution and graceful degradation and recovery
    because we do understand that as long as we are in defense, we
    also have to be prepared for the attack that does get through.
        In those cases, they are looking not only at military
    systems but they translate very naturally to corporate systems.
    They translate to infrastructure systems, such as, you know,
    the power grid, water supply security, and many others.
        Senator Moran. Are those programs receiving the support
    they need to deploy new capabilities from the lab to the force?
        Dr. Tompkins. Yes, sir, I do believe they are. One of the
    really nice things about cyber technologies, especially if they
    are mainly for system software, is that they transition much
    more naturally and much more quickly than a lot of hardware-
    focused technologies.
        So some of these again are things we would have to discuss
    in a different venue, but we have excellent collaboration,
    particularly with organizations, like Cyber Command, where we
    often go into demonstrate and experimental capability and can
    very quickly turn it into something that transitions to their
    operational use in the course of a program.
        Senator Moran. Doctor, thank you very much.
        Ms. McQuiston, let me follow up with what Senator Shelby
    was conversing with you about, hypersonics. Can you please
    provide an update on the industrial base partnerships that DOD
    has entered into to support carbon-carbon manufacturing
    initiatives?
        Ms. McQuiston. Additive manufacturing for hypersonics has
    been key. In fact, it's been a real enabler in commercial
    technologies, as well. It's not only sort of the breakthrough
    technology for hypersonics, but it's also being used in the
    automotive industry to really dramatically change fuel
    efficiency.
        I personally have not had the time to go through other
    agreements that we may have within the industry, but I would
    welcome that opportunity to come back to you with the details
    on that.
        Senator Moran. I'd welcome further conversations with you.
        As our hypersonic batteries come online and we begin to
    manufacture hypersonic missiles to scale, do we have the
    industrial base capacity to manufacture at scale?
        Ms. McQuiston. I believe we do. I believe that we are up
    for the challenge and can meet it.
        Senator Moran. So what are the challenges that we have in
    ramping up our production?
        Ms. McQuiston. Well, right now, we have a roadmap as to
    where we're moving it for fielding and production use. It is
    moving ahead and I'm unaware of any specific challenge that we
    might have right now.
        Senator Moran. I'd appreciate additional conversation with
    you. Maybe we can have a meeting or----
        Ms. McQuiston. I think in another venue we could actually
    get into more detail, exactly.
        Senator Moran. Thank you. Let me ask a final question, this
    one about space. I now co-chair the Senate's Space Force
    Caucus, and I'm the Ranking Member of the CJS (Commerce,
    Justice, Science), the NASA (National Aeronautics and Space
    Administration) Appropriations Subcommittee, along with Senator
    Shaheen.
        How is your office working with commercial and government
    partners to make certain that satellite constellations remain
    secure from cyber and kinetic attacks?
        Ms. McQuiston. That's very important to us in looking at
    that. In fact, recently we had used adopted commercial
    processes which often in the past financial institutes would
    use to basically open up a satellite opportunity to hack-a-sat,
    we called it. So you could have hackers try to break in and
    disrupt options of the satellite.
        This has actually been a very good learning platform and to
    strengthen our own security within our satellite systems. So,
    again, adopting both commercial and putting together new
    technologies for defensive security operations within LEO and
    our satellite operations is going to be a very high priority
    for the Department of Defense.
        Senator Moran. Thank you. Mr. Chairman, thank you.
        Senator Tester. Thank you, Senator Moran.
        Senator Baldwin.
        Senator Baldwin. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        Our military is reliant on lithium ion batteries to power
    critical systems, including plant energy-intensive
    applications, like advanced radars and sensors. Unfortunately,
    we are also reliant on foreign companies, including in China,
    for components that go into these batteries.
        We have really struggled to stand up domestic R&D
    capability to discover and validate new battery chemistries and
    technologies that would improve performance and safety and
    reduce costs for both military and commercial applications.
        Currently, most of our innovation and resulting
    intellectual properties have been in Asia. On this latter
    point, I believe the U.S. needs to build a robust independent
    commercial cell development and testing capability to support
    advanced battery technologies needed for our military systems
    and commercial applications, like electric vehicles and
    electric grid storage.
        Ms. McQuiston, I would like to hear your thoughts on how
    DOD can make investments to address these challenges and
    support next generation battery technology.
        Ms. McQuiston. Safe uses of lithium batteries actually has
    been a priority for the science and the university work that
    we've been doing.
        That said, battery technology has quite a range within the
    military, from the amount of batteries that need to be in the
    field to moving forward with high-power weapon systems.
        I would say that battery technology is going to be key for
    micro grids that we would need at basing and forward sites. I
    think batteries are a priority. The science and the materials
    can actually move forward, I think, if we focus our energies.
        DARPA is always good at looking at materials and batteries
    have always been a capability that they've had at modernizing
    and perhaps inventing new technologies and safer approaches at
    higher density, energy density.
        Senator Baldwin. Thank you. I've been advocating for
    strengthening our Buy America policies, including extending
    domestic content requirements down the supply chain to support
    the U.S. industrial base. Those efforts are critical but more
    focused on the acquisition side of DOD investment policy.
        I also believe that we need to do more on the research,
    development, and innovation side, those areas, Ms. McQuiston,
    over which you have responsibility.
        If we look at the pacing threat of China, let's say in the
    shipbuilding sector, DOD has reported that it has become the
    top ship-producing nation in the world and produces most of its
    critical components, like engines, weapons, and electronic
    systems.
        The Chinese Government is investing massive sums to ensure
    that those components are high-performing and manufacturable at
    scale.
        I believe that the DOD using existing authorities should
    provide funding to our domestic shipbuilding industrial base,
    particularly small- and medium-size businesses, to increase
    their technical capability, grow their capacity, and improve
    their manufacturing technology, design, and engineering
    processes.
        Across the DOD research and engineering enterprise, what
    are your priorities for supporting the industrial base and what
    programs and investments will you make to support the
    technological competitiveness in manufacturing capacity of our
    critical defense suppliers?
        Ms. McQuiston. Manufacturing is key to a number of
    technologies across the board and being able to modernize and
    work with manufacturing and make investments is also key to our
    economic security.
        When you look at manufacturing, it's not only for perhaps
    DOD enabling capability and scale, but it's also to derisk some
    of the newer technologies that are required, and we have a
    number of manufacturing programs in this area that we're moving
    forward, but we are working with aspects of this from 5G and
    the micro electronics side straight through to materials,
    battery technology, as we just discussed, and moving into a
    program that we have at a university that's working in
    materials that would be supported for difficult marine
    environments.
        So I concur with you on the need for manufacturing.
        Senator Baldwin. Thank you. Mr. Chairman, I yield back.
        Senator Tester. Thank you, Senator Baldwin.
        Senator Shaheen.
        Senator Shaheen. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and to Ms.
    McQuiston and Dr. Tompkins, thank you both very much for your
    work and for testifying today.
        I appreciate the importance of DARPA and of our investing
    public dollars in innovation and research for our national
    security, but you alluded to this, I think, earlier, Ms.
    McQuiston, when you talked about the private sector, and the
    fact is much of the innovation that we benefit from comes from
    the private sector, is that correct?
        Ms. McQuiston. I would say that it's quite an engine for us
    in innovation, absolutely.
        Senator Shaheen. And one of the programs that has been
    really successful in promoting small businesses to do that kind
    of research is the SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research)
    Program. Can you speak to how important you think that is?
        Ms. McQuiston. I think it's very important. You know, SBIRs
    and STTRs (Small Business Technology Transfer) have been quite
    an engine for us economically and moving investments forward in
    this area can have a great net gain in the economy, as well.
        Small businesses from the investment side are 22:1 return
    on the DOD investment. So anything we can do to encourage and
    bridge the gap, so to speak, between defense needs and small
    business capabilities will be critical. We have a protege
    program going forward with large companies so that the smaller
    companies can sort of be able to contribute in a way that's
    more meaningful to the DOD mission.
        We are also looking through DIU (Defense Innovation Unit)
    to bring on more small businesses and non-traditional
    performers, to bring capability to the warfighter' mission. So
    I think that's a huge focus.
        We have to be able to work at the speed of commercial
    flexibility because we don't want to just be able to understand
    what their technology is, we need to be able to capitalize on
    it and field these systems for the warfighter. So that's going
    to mean that we have to move at speeds that are within a
    commercial timeframe. So that's going to be critical in not
    only encouraging small business but actually being able to
    retain fielded systems and the support of growing our economy
    with small businesses.
        Senator Shaheen. Well, thank you very much. We extended the
    SBIR Program or reauthorized it for 5 years back in 2017, but
    that means it's going to expire again in 2022.
        So, Mr. Chairman, I would just say based on what we've
    heard and what we know is significant about the SBIR Program,
    we should start from now to extend/reauthorize that, and I
    would argue we should reauthorize it permanently. So thank you.
        Can you speak to what happens when we develop innovative
    technologies that are then adopted by our adversaries and used
    to undermine the United States? How do we prevent that? What
    can we do to better make sure that what we're doing in
    innovation doesn't get pirated by our adversaries?
        Ms. McQuiston. Well, I think securing our technology is
    key. WE have the TAPS (Transition Assistance Program) Program,
    which is working to make sure that our research and development
    dollars are secure, looking at university funding and having
    transparency in an area of research that we think is critical,
    so that we understand other areas of funding that are coming
    in.
        We also want to carefully work with scientists and
    researchers who we do not feel that there's an individual that
    could be a risk to the performance there, but I do believe we
    need to be smart and strategic about what we need to protect
    and keep the pace of surprise moving forward. That's the great
    thing about DARPA because there's always a new frontier and
    there'll always be, you know, people adopting and catching up,
    but if we're always moving ahead, we make the process of
    catching up that much more difficult, though security, I think,
    especially at the rate of cybersecurity and really protecting
    our own investments, has got to be in the forefront as we move
    forward, but to do it smartly.
        Senator Shaheen. Thank you. I only have a few seconds left,
    but I did want to ask you because you were talking about the
    challenge of legacy systems and innovation and how to balance
    phasing one out or addressing new innovative technology.
        When we do that, is it usual that contracts are awarded
    when we've got a technology that has not been proven or tested
    or fielded in any way? Can you answer that?
        Ms. McQuiston. Off the top of my head, I would say that we
    definitely need to make sure that we have trust in the system
    before it's fielded which is why we've stood up three offices
    between the Systems Engineering Office at SCO (Strategic
    Capabilities Office), DIU, with the Experimentation and
    Fielding, and then Emergent Technology Capability and working
    with that to demonstrate its capability.
        But in some technologies, it can move quite rapidly. So if
    we're looking at evolving technologies, such as in
    cybersecurity, we should have a rapid pace at being able to
    develop, test, and field this capability rather quickly.
        Obviously other technologies would take more time and
    testing, but we have to be flexible in how we approach the
    technology, which goes back to innovation, and it goes back to
    what I was saying in the beginning. You have to be doing the
    right thing and doing it correctly, but you have to adopt the
    flexibility in the program to account for the type of
    technology you're managing with the goal of fielding it as
    rapidly as you can.
        Senator Shaheen. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        Senator Tester. Thank you, Senator Shaheen.
        Senator Hoeven.
        Senator Hoeven. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Appreciate it. And
    thank you for the opportunity to meet with you today.
        Secretary McQuiston, earlier you mentioned SDA, the Space
    Development Agency, working with Grand Forks Air Force Base. We
    appreciate that very much. As you know, we've worked very
    diligently to develop all things unmanned aviation there and
    obviously that whole link and the development with the
    satellites is incredibly important. We think we have an
    absolutely unique resource there. So we appreciate it and we
    appreciate the working relationship we have with the Space
    Development Agency.
        We think that SDA needs to continue, to accelerate the
    development of technology for the warfighter. We think that's
    incredibly important.
        So tell me, how will you ensure that SDA can provide
    innovative and independent support for our warfighters, even as
    you transition to Space Force in October of 2022, and obviously
    we're very concerned about supporting that effort because we
    think it's very worthwhile but also because we think it's
    important. Grand Forks Air Force Base is part of that.
        Ms. McQuiston. Yes, I believe keeping in place the spiral
    development process that they've put in to work at commercial
    speeds and to very quickly be able to field capability will be
    the best way to work with this development of technology for
    space.
        I think it's already a proven pace that you see with
    commercial entities and I believe that what we have started
    right now with the Space Development Agency will prove itself
    by their 2-year cycle time for being able to update
    capabilities that we're bringing to the warfighter.
        Senator Hoeven. Good. And we appreciate very much the
    working relationship that we've had with you.
        Is there anything that we can do at this time that you
    think is particularly helpful to make sure that we continue to
    advance this initiative?
        Ms. McQuiston. Well, we appreciate your support for this
    effort and that is invaluable in itself. So thank you.
        Senator Hoeven. And same questions for Dr. Tompkins. Did
    you have anything that you would add?
        Dr. Tompkins. I agree with Ms. McQuiston regarding the
    support and appreciation for all the support you've provided,
    and DARPA works very closely with the SDA specifically in
    developing new technologies which then derisk, you know,
    elements of the technology for them to deploy and we look
    forward to seeing the fruition of some of those efforts in the
    near future.
        Senator Hoeven. Good. And again we want to make sure that
    we continue to offer any and all assistance so that that
    development continues as it is. We think it's incredibly
    important.
        Back to Ms. McQuiston. Now talk to me in terms of the next
    step, which is not just that communication with the satellites,
    but then also the communication between satellites and unmanned
    aviation, and again that's one of the things that we've
    developed in a way like no other, and obviously that's going to
    be an incredibly important part of this whole effort.
        So talk to me about development on that second step, as
    well.
        Ms. McQuiston. Yes. Looking at being able to have the
    battle space information, backbone in place, we have JADC2 as a
    program, and we also have AB2 moving forward, and looking at
    the information moving within the network and able to be used
    between ground and space will be critical. So the network and
    the data availability will actually be quite a platform for
    innovation and being able to constantly grow our capabilities
    at a rapid speed for the warfighter.
        Senator Hoeven. Yes. And tell me a little bit more about
    that interagency cooperation because one of the things we've
    done is we've broken down barriers. I mean, we're working with
    everybody. It's not just at the State and local level but all
    the different agencies, including NASA, Department of Defense,
    FAA, and everybody else.
        How are you working to make sure that you're integrating
    all of the agencies in there, as well, in this effort?
        Ms. McQuiston. We are working with all the agencies, and I
    believe the relationships are very good because everybody wants
    to move forward in this area. So I would say right now, we keep
    the pace moving forward.
        Senator Hoeven. Great. Thank you so much. And, Dr.
    Tompkins, anything else that you might want to add on that
    issue?
        Dr. Tompkins. I completely agree with everything Ms.
    McQuiston has said. I think in the interest of time, I'll leave
    it there just with our thanks and our excitement about the
    future.
        Senator Hoeven. I just want to thank both of you for your
    innovation and your creativity and your strong leadership. We
    truly appreciate the working relationship. Thanks so much, and
    we'll continue to support your efforts in this very important
    area.
        Ms. McQuiston. Thank you.
        Senator Tester. Thank you, Senator Hoeven.
        Just one more question from me and then we'll close out.
    This is for both of the testifiers and it's been talked about
    with previous questions. I think it's important that we add
    value by tapping into academia and private sector, small
    business and large business.
        From your guys' perspective, has there been greater
    participation by folks outside your agencies over the last
    years, has it been pretty static, or less?
        Ms. McQuiston. I think there's been larger participation
    and mostly because of the outreach programs that we've put
    together, especially through the Defense Innovation Unit,
    because we're seeing a lot of non-traditional companies coming
    in, and we're seeing an increase of small business that are
    excited to work with the Defense Department and able to
    demonstrate their capabilities, but more is required.
        Senator Tester. Okay. Dr. Tompkins?
        Dr. Tompkins. Yes, similarly. Of course, DARPS's funding
    goes entirely to those external partners. So what we would be
    tracking is sort of the diversification of that pro forma space
    and what we've looked for are organizations that have never
    worked with DARPA before, have never worked with the DOD, and
    through those kinds of outreach activities that Ms. McQuiston
    just mentioned, we are seeing that increase and we hope to see
    it even more.
        To get the best ideas and to get the best capabilities we
    need to be reaching the broadest possible and most diverse pro
    forma pool possible.
        Senator Tester. Do either of you see any existing barriers
    to working with your particular agencies and if you do, are
    those barriers things that you can break down or do you need
    congressional help?
        Ms. McQuiston. Well, right now at R&E, launching the
    Innovation Steering Group, I'm looking for areas of continual
    improvement and I think that we will be able to articulate sort
    of changes that need to take place internally in order to
    become more rapid in an adaptation of technology and to be more
    flexible in being able to do that.
        Senator Tester. So no barriers?
        Ms. McQuiston. At this time, I would say it's a matter of
    rolling up our sleeves.
        Senator Tester. Okay. Dr. Tompkins?
        Dr. Tompkins. The one thing I would suggest is that we're
    going to be taking a hard look at some of the sort of potential
    barriers for organizations that have traditionally worked with
    the Department of Defense, looking at the cost of compliance,
    and looking at sort of the murkiness of how organizations can
    successfully comply.
        I think this is particularly tough on smaller businesses,
    commercial organizations that haven't worked with Defense
    before, and many different classes of universities where the
    amount of overhead that they can afford to put in to being able
    to be sufficiently compliant can be really challenging and so
    we would be looking for ways to sort of meet them in the middle
    and find ways to make it easier for them to participate while
    still being fully compliant with our requirements.
        Senator Tester. Okay. Thank you.
        Senator Shelby, do you have anything you wanted?
        Senator Shelby. I have nothing else.
        Senator Tester. Okay.
        Senator Shelby. We do look forward to some classified
    hearings with this group because I think it's very important.
        Senator Tester. We will make sure that our staffs together
    and make that happen.
        I just want to express my appreciation for the testimony
    that was presented here today.

                         ADDITIONAL COMMITTEE QUESTIONS

        Senators need to know that they may submit additional
    written questions and we would ask you to respond to them in a
    reasonable period of time.
        [The following questions were not asked at the hearing, but
    were submitted to the Department for response subsequent to the
    hearing:]
                  Questions Submitted to Ms. Barbara McQuiston
                 Questions Submitted by Senator Jeanne Shaheen
        Question. Ms. McQuiston, the Department has been working to improve
    domestic manufacturing for semiconductors and ``microelectronics''
    through a number of initiatives, including through the National
    Security Technology Accelerator. At the same time, the Department has
    stated that is aware of the threats posed by overseas control of
    printed circuit board manufacturing.
        Does the Department consider Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) to be
    microelectronics'' within the scope of existing funding authorities?
        Answer. Yes, the Department considers printed circuit boards to be
    critical for higher level assemblies for microelectronics, but they are
    not addressed by the effort ``access to State of the Art (SOTA)
    Microelectronics'' in the Trusted and Assured Microelectronics program.
    The issues surrounding Printed Circuit Boards are industrial base
    related, and are being addressed by the Under Secretary for Acquisition
    and Sustainment in coordination with the DoD PrCB Executive Agent.
        Question. How does the Department intend to encourage the reshoring
    of PCB manufacturing capabilities?
        Answer. The Department is developing strategies for re-shoring
    critical microelectronics, including printed circuit board technology
    products with the help of the DoD Executive Agent for Printed Circuit
    Boards. Partnership with the interagency, especially the Department of
    Commerce with respect to infrastructure funding associated with the
    CHIPS Act, will ensure DoD unique requirements and demand are included
    in any execution plan.
        Question. Ms. McQuiston, I understand that the Army recently
    awarded a fixed price Production Agreement for the Integrated Visual
    Augmentation System (IVAS) using Other Transaction Authority (OTA).
    However, this technology has not completed full testing or fielding for
    its night vision capabilities.
        Could you describe the importance of testing and fielding for night
    vision technology in particular?
        Answer. Fundamentally, the purpose of Test & Evaluation (T&E) is to
    enable the DoD to acquire systems that support the warfighter in
    accomplishing their mission. To that end, T&E provides engineers and
    decision makers with knowledge to assist in managing risks; to measure
    technical progress; and to characterize operational effectiveness,
    operational suitability, interoperability, survivability (including
    cybersecurity), and lethality. This is true for all technology
    acquisitions including for night vision technologies.
        Question. How might fielding equipment that has not gone through
    rigorous operational testing impact the end user?
        Answer. Fielding technology prior to operational testing introduces
    risk and potentially compromises the reliability and value of the
    technology fielded. Integrated testing, and the sharing of information
    across Developmental Test and Operational Test provides necessary data
    for the operational test agency to evaluate operational effectiveness,
    operational suitability, and overall mission capability. While IVAS did
    not conduct an initial operational test and evaluation (IOT&E), they
    did undergo an Operational Assessment. In this instance, the IVAS
    system milestones and fielding decisions are made by the Service
    Acquisition Executive, and therefore R&E would need to defer to the
    Army on their programmatic decisions.
                                     ______

                   Questions Submitted by Senator Jerry Moran
        Question. In order to achieve a multi-band/multi-orbit resilient
    and redundant enterprise architecture, leveraging non-LEO SATCOM assets
    is essential.
        What are your plans, if any, to leverage Medium Earth Orbit SATCOM
    capabilities?
        Answer. Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) SATCOM capabilities are actively
    leveraged from the commercial space sector via the procurement
    activities of the Commercial Satellite Communications Office (CSCO), at
    the direction of the Chief of Space Operations, United States Space
    Force (USSF), and in accordance with public law. USSF CSCO is the sole
    authority for procurement of said services for the Department of
    Defense (DoD) and satisfies COMSATCOM requirements on behalf of the
    Combatant Commands, the Services, other DoD and Federal agencies, as
    well as NATO and FVEY partner nations. Currently, USSF CSCO has
    approximately 18 MEO-based task orders awarded to the commercial space
    sector on behalf of DoD and others, providing SATCOM services in
    various geographic Areas of Responsibility.
        Question. The research, development, and production of hypersonic
    missiles will continue to be a major strategic priority for the
    Department of Defense.
        Can you please provide an update on the industrial base
    partnerships that the DoD has entered into to support carbon-carbon
    manufacturing initiatives?
        Answer. The Department of Defense Manufacturing Technology program
    has engaged the carbon-carbon industrial base through multiple
    investment mechanisms. The Manufacturing of Carbon-Carbon Composites
    for Hypersonic Applications Initiative has ongoing projects to improve
    the automation of 2D and 3D processing of carbon-carbon materials. The
    Manufacturing Innovation Institute network has issued two Manufacturing
    Challenges to their respective networks to address additive
    manufacturing techniques for Hypersonic applications, high-temperature
    Composites, integrated computational materials engineering tools, and
    advanced manufacturing methods specifically for Hypersonic
    applications.
        Additionally, the Department's Defense Production Act Title III
    authorities allow opportunities to invest in industrial capabilities
    such as carbon-carbon manufacturing. In particular, there is a request
    for proposals for Ultra-High and High Temperature Composite materials
    open now, which allows our industrial partners to be considered for
    funding for manufacturing initiatives.
        Question. As our hypersonic batteries come online and we begin to
    manufacture hypersonic missiles to scale, do we have the industrial
    base capacity to manufacture at scale?
        Answer. The Department is working with industry to rise to the
    challenge of producing hypersonic missiles at scale. R&E has partnered
    with A&S on a deep dive effort to assess the state of the current and
    future industrial base. This will help address current Service program
    needs, and pave the way to have a responsive industrial base to meet
    future requirements. The Department is using the results of this deep
    dive to inform the decisions necessary to build at scale, but a number
    of challenges still remain, particularly relating to supply chain
    management and supplier capacity. Providing a clear demand signal to
    our industry partners, in the form of validated requirements and steady
    procurement, will provide them with the confidence and business case to
    invest in their sub-tier suppliers and internally build capacity
    necessary for full scale hypersonic production.
        Question. What are the challenges to ramping up production?
        Answer. The challenges to ramping up hypersonic production are not
    unique--workforce and talent, data management, long lead production,
    and capacity and testing bottlenecks. However, they are exacerbated by
    the increased complexity of the technology and systems necessary to
    enable these game changing weapons that provide the Department with
    transformational capability. As these programs are still in
    development, their configuration and manufacturing processes are new
    competencies for industry. Some of the manufacturing processes are
    highly manual and labor intensive, and require specialized skills. Many
    need to be transitioned to industrial partners with sufficient
    throughput, automation, facilities, and technical understanding to
    produce reliably at scale.
                                     ______

                  Questions Submitted to Dr. Stefanie Tompkins
                Questions Submitted by Senator Richard J. Durbin
        Question. Climate change is one of the top issues facing our
    nation, and both President Biden and Secretary Austin have made clear
    that we must address climate change as a national security issue--one
    that impacts the resilience of DoD facilities and operations. We must
    also invest in power and energy R&D to improve performance at our
    installations and optimize military capability. And this past year, the
    COVID-19 pandemic has made clear that we must also support research and
    development when it comes to public health and public agriculture, and
    the intersection of climate change, pests and diseases, food security,
    and more.
        Please provide an overview of DARPA's public health and public
    agriculture research that can help ensure we are better prepared
    against a future pandemic.
        Answer. DARPA is currently funding several public health and
    agriculture research efforts that tackle current limitations in
    preparation against a future pandemic. Through the Defend Against Crop
    System Attack program, technologies are being developed to protect
    staple crops, especially mature plants, that are particularly
    vulnerable to the most severe threats relevant to disease and climate
    change. The Pandemic Prevention \1\ program is focusing on novel
    methods to accelerate medical countermeasure discovery, pre-clinical
    testing, and manufacturing. Pandemic Prevention will enable an
    integrated therapeutic development platform that leverages state-of-
    the-art technologies to prevent disease outbreaks. The Deployable
    Medical Countermeasures for Warfighter Readiness program will make
    nucleic acid-based medical countermeasures available to the warfighter
    where and when they are needed. The Preventing the Emergence of Disease
    (PED) program is investigating how animal pathogens are transmitted to
    humans and exploring novel approaches to prevent these events. The
    Expanding Human Resiliency program aims to maximize warfighter
    resiliency by leveraging the signals of the human microbiome to improve
    physiology. This program will develop new technologies to control and
    manipulate the microbiome and reduce attraction and feeding of insect
    vectors, such as mosquitoes, that carry disease.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \1\ All programs named/cited refer to the Research and Development
    Descriptive Summaries (RDDS) from the Department of Defense fiscal year
    2021 Budget Estimates.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        DARPA received and has obligated $113 million in CARES Act funding.
    These funds have been used to accelerate the development and deployment
    of technologies for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of COVID-
    19. Activities and impacts include the following:
      --Diagnostics ($18.0M): DARPA research is producing tests that offer
            earlier, more sensitive, and widely distributable diagnosis of
            SARS-CoV-2-infected patients.
      --Novel Prevention and Treatment Approaches ($64.0M): DARPA is
            rapidly screening previously approved drugs using methods such
            as organ-on-a-chip systems and using AI and machine learning
            methods.
      --Pharmaceutical Supply Chain ($29 million): DARPA researchers are
            developing and commercializing technology that directly
            addresses supply chain vulnerabilities to enable an end-to-end,
            deployable, and scalable capability for the production of
            medicines made from readily available ingredients that can be
            sourced within the U.S.
      --Environmental Monitoring ($2 million): DARPA is developing and
            enabling a persistent, broad-scale screening system to detect
            the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
        Question. We lack robust surveillance systems to identify new pests
    and diseases and track where they are moving. How can DARPA fix that?
        Answer. DARPA focuses on developing technologies to rapidly detect
    and characterize threats, prevent surprise, and maintain force
    readiness. Several programs at DARPA focus on creating novel detection
    platforms for rapid identification of potential pathogens and
    biosurveillance of animal disease transmission. The Preventing the
    Emergence of Disease (PED) program is investigating how animal
    pathogens are transmitted to humans and exploring novel approaches to
    model, predict, and prevent these events. Promising intervention
    approaches will be developed to prevent viral species jumps from animal
    reservoirs to humans. Predicting such jumps is a key capability to
    mitigating outbreaks in human populations. The Forensic Indicators of
    Threat Exposure (FITE) program is developing a field-deployable
    resource for indicators of an individual's exposure history. This
    program has already supported COVID-19 Health Action Response for
    Marines (CHARM) by providing rapid delivery of accurate diagnostic
    results for Marine recruits to ensure training continuity at Parris
    Island. The Biology for Security (BIOSEC) program seeks to investigate
    novel approaches to address the DoD need for rapid detection of unknown
    and/or emerging biological threats by identifying pathogens based on
    specific behaviors, such as how they interact with and are toxic to
    host cells. Advances in this area will produce a completely new
    capability to assess the emergence of pathogens and to detect pathogens
    that can evade detection by traditional methods. The Gene Editing
    Enabled Diagnostics & Biosurveillance program will develop fieldable,
    low-cost gene editing based diagnostics for rapid, specific, sensitive,
    and multiplexed detection of biological threats in military and public
    health scenarios. The distributed biosurveillance device will deliver
    the strategic awareness needed to prevent outbreaks of known diseases,
    while having the flexibility to quickly detect new emergent bio-
    threats, thereby serving as a firebreak and significantly contributing
    to DoD humanitarian and stabilization efforts.
                                     ______

                   Questions Submitted by Senator Jerry Moran
        Question. Many experts are concerned about future animal pandemics
    threatening U.S. agricultural systems, affecting trade, jobs and rural
    communities. Many areas of the world are currently facing African Swine
    Fever--it has now spread from Africa, to Asia and Europe. There is a
    strong likelihood that the virus will eventually arrive in the US,
    which could be devastating to pork producers and processors, as well as
    to corn and soybean growers who provide feed. Just as in the COVID
    response, we will need coordinated public private partnerships (PPP) to
    drive vaccine development and affordable diagnostics. We will also need
    to increase our surveillance capabilities including platforms to track
    disease threats. These tools will not only help us protect our
    agriculture and food producers, but will also create systems to prepare
    us for future biological threats that could materialize in the coming
    years.
        For big challenges in agriculture that require urgent responses,
    such as protecting our agricultural and food systems from the impacts
    of climate change and bioterrorism, do you see the need for increased
    investments in agricultural research and a role for PPPs in prepare us
    for future pandemics?
        Answer. DARPA is currently pursuing research investments that offer
    the ability to stabilize vulnerable coastal areas from erosion and
    flood-related disasters as well as identify, track, and respond to
    emerging agricultural threats expected to develop on faster timescales.
    This research should lead to developments that assist the Department of
    Defense in risk and vulnerability mitigation strategies related to
    vulnerabilities that reside in the global food system. The development
    of capabilities that provide early detection and identification of
    emerging threats and/or disruptions to the global food system will
    likely benefit from coordinated public private partnerships that ensure
    broadest dissemination and sharing of data related to global food
    system security.
        Question. Your office is focusing heavily on technology transition
    projects to improve cyber defenses for the Department and its
    industrial partners.
        Can you please describe how MOSAICS and other related cyber
    initiatives will not only support the Department's cyber defense, but
    the industrial partners that are critical to our national security?
        Answer. DARPA's cyber initiatives support both the Department's
    cyber defense and the industrial partners that are critical to our
    national security.
        DARPA is developing the computing, networking, and cyber security
    technologies required to protect and enhance systems that are essential
    to DoD, USG, and U.S. civil infrastructure.
        Information technologies are a focus of intense computation with
    both peer and non-peer adversaries, and this competition will be
    ongoing.
        Systems. DARPA programs are developing the technologies to enhance
    the security, resiliency, and adaptability of complex software systems.
    Enhanced security and resiliency are essential to meet increasingly
    sophisticated cyber threats. Adaptability is needed to rapidly
    assimilate new capabilities in an evolving operational environment.
    Systems with rich supply chains pose particular challenges. Our work
    includes not just techniques for the development of new systems, but
    also, importantly, techniques that can enhance security and
    adaptability for a wide range of existing systems.
        Operations. DARPA programs explore data-intensive analytics for
    enterprise cyber defense, including fusion to support attribution of
    attacks for targeted response, new confidentiality techniques based on
    applied cryptography applicable to privacy and Internet Freedom,
    resiliency techniques to enable resilient recovery from attacks, and
    social engineering defense for phishing attacks. Programs also enhance
    the capability of cyber operators through improved data sourcing and
    analytics, tools and frameworks, and operator experience design,
    including environments for command centers.
        In addition to developing information technologies, DARPA works to
    transition the results of its R&D to operations through applications
    such as the following:
      --Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity: With regard to cyber-defense
            of the power grid, DARPA-developed cyber tools and a test bed
            were transitioned to the Department of Energy and commercial
            utilities under a MOA between 16th Air Force, U.S. Cyber
            Command, and DARPA that establishes a Joint Electric Power
            Range (JEPR) at Fort Carson. The JEPR will be an enduring
            national resource for power grid cyber resilience
            experimentation and development.
      --Cyber Attribution: DARPA-developed cyber analytics were used to
            generate timely, accurate threat information regarding
            malicious Russian cyber activities. This information was shared
            with partners at the FBI Atlanta and Pittsburgh field offices,
            contributing to the indictment of six GRU personnel associated
            with a worldwide destructive malware campaign and the
            remediation of that malware campaign in U.S. and allied
            critical infrastructure.
      --Cyber Protection for Combat Vehicles: DARPA-developed technology
            has been selected by the Army Combat Capabilities Development
            Command Ground Systems Vehicle Development Center to provide
            cyber protection to their Next Generation Combat Vehicle. The
            technology will be matured to TRL-6 for Army ground vehicle
            environments under this transition.
      --Cyber Command and Control: DARPA initiated the Plan X program in
            2013 to develop a command and control platform for military
            cyber operations. Plan X technology was transitioned to the
            Strategic Capabilities Office in July 2019, where it was
            further developed under Project Ike, and has now been
            transitioned again, this time to the Joint Cyber Command and
            Control (JCC2) program management office.

                              SUBCOMMITTEE RECESS

        Senator Tester. The Defense Subcommittee will reconvene on
    Tuesday, April 20, at 9:30, for a hearing on the Defense Health
    Program.
        With that, this subcommittee stands in recess.
        Ms. McQuiston. Thank you.
        [Whereupon, at 10:55 a.m., Tuesday, April 13, the
    subcommittee was recessed, to reconvene at 9:30 a.m., Tuesday,
    April 20.]

           DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022

                                  ----------

                            TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 2021

                                           U.S. Senate,
               Subcommittee of the Committee on Appropriations,
                                                        Washington, DC.
        The subcommittee met at 9:31 a.m. in room SD-192, Dirksen
    Office Building, Hon. Jon Tester (chairman) presiding.
        Present: Senators Tester, Baldwin, Shelby, and Boozman

                             DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

                             Defense Health Program

    STATEMENT OF DR. TERRY ADIRIM, ACTING ASSISTANT
                SECRETARY OF DEFENSE FOR HEALTH AFFAIRS

                    OPENING STATEMENT OF SENATOR JON TESTER

        Senator Tester. I am going to call this committee meeting
    to order. I want to welcome Dr. Adirim, General Dingle, General
    Hogg, Admiral Gillingham for your testimony here today and
    especially for your service to this country. Thank you all.
        Nearly 9.5 million Americans from private to general, from
    servicemember to spouse, from recruit to retiree depend on you
    for healthcare services that you oversee. Your job is a
    difficult one because so many people are depending on you to
    have the right medical professionals, and the right treatment
    at the right time because their lives count on it.
        Over the last few years, the Department of Defense and
    Congress have made significant investments in our military's
    readiness, but there is no readiness issue more important than
    continuing to ensure the physical and mental health of the
    force.
        Like our witnesses, this subcommittee is committed to doing
    our part to ensure that the military force we have is as
    healthy as possible. This means meeting the medical needs of
    servicemembers and their families at home and abroad.
        This challenge is even more important as we are dealing
    with a global pandemic. I would like to know more about how the
    DOD is dealing with COVID, both in the terms of impact to
    troops and their families and whether the military healthcare
    system is adequately funded for this emergency.
        Once again, I want to thank you for your service and for
    your work to better the lives of our personnel entrusted to
    your care. It is an essential part of maintaining a ready
    force, and I look forward to your testimony.
        Senator Shelby.

                     STATEMENT OF SENATOR RICHARD C. SHELBY

        Senator Shelby. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you for
    holding this hearing.
        I want to, like you, welcome our witnesses today, and I
    want to thank them for being here today to review the Defense
    Health Program.
        The pandemic has tested our military and its health system
    profoundly, and I would like to applaud the Defense Health
    Program's work and achievements during this extremely trying
    time.
        Our warfighters, I believe, are our greatest defense asset,
    and their readiness and capabilities depend on a strong and
    sustainable military healthcare system. Our military's health
    system is responsible for providing care to 9.5 million
    servicemembers and their beneficiaries who deserve the best
    quality of care that we can provide.
        In order to guarantee that standard, Mr. Chairman, we must
    ensure that the system is appropriately resourced, something
    this committee has prioritized. The military health system has
    undergone substantial transformation over the last several
    years, and I look forward to hearing about the challenges each
    of you have faced in this transition and how you have worked
    together to overcome them.
        In addition to providing healthcare, our military's health
    system also conducts medical research on a wide variety of
    topics such as cancer, infectious diseases, traumatic brain
    injury, and burn research, just to name a few. Funding for
    these important research efforts has grown from $210 million in
    1992 to nearly $1.5 billion last year. That is a substantial
    investment and I believe one that does not take into account
    the billions of dollars that we also provide annually to the
    National Institutes of Health to conduct research in many of
    the same areas.
        What is more, the President's budget request proposes to
    create the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health at NIH
    (National Institutes of Health). This new $6.5 billion
    federally funded research agency will focus on cancer research
    and other diseases such as diabetes and Alzheimer's. With all
    this seeming duplication of research dollars, I question at
    times whether DOD's (Department of Defense) medical research
    investments are truly focused on addressing our warfighters'
    health and readiness concerns or simply investing in scarce
    defense resources and medical research that is also underway at
    NIH.
        So, while we can all agree that this research is necessary,
    I hope our witnesses can provide a clear explanation regarding
    defense medical research dollars, what they are doing that NIH
    funding cannot or is not doing. In other words, is there
    duplication here, and if so, how do we get away from it?
        Thank you for holding this hearing, Mr. Chairman.
        Senator Tester. Thank you, Senator Shelby.
        Now we will go to opening statements. I would ask that each
    of you limit your opening statement to 5 minutes each. Your
    entire written statement will be put in the record, and we will
    start with you, Dr. Adirim. You have the floor.

                     SUMMARY STATEMENT OF DR. TERRY ADIRIM

        Dr. Adirim. Good morning. Chairman Tester, Vice Chairman
    Shelby, distinguished members of the subcommittee, I am honored
    to represent the military and civilian medical professionals in
    the Military Health System who are serving around the world and
    here at home, delivering healthcare in support of our 9.6
    million beneficiaries as well as support to millions of
    Americans throughout the United States.
        My testimony will provide the subcommittee with information
    on major activities that will inform our budget proposal for
    the coming fiscal year. The most significant issue looming over
    all of our projections is the national response to the COVID-19
    pandemic.
        Secretary Austin has made clear that the greatest proximate
    challenge to our Nation's security is the threat of COVID-19.
    The Department has, and will continue to, act boldly and
    quickly to support Federal Government efforts to defeat this
    disease.
        My written testimony provides a comprehensive review of the
    critical health support the Military Health System is providing
    worldwide in support of our primary mission and as part of the
    whole-of-government response to the COVID crisis.
        We remain deeply appreciative of the fiscal year 2020
    supplemental appropriation of $2.2 billion as part of the CARES
    Act that covered the significant costs incurred during the
    initial months of the response.
        In fiscal year 2021, however, costs attributable to the
    pandemic continue to accumulate. As of March 31, 2021, our
    midyear review of the Defense Health Program identified likely
    shortfalls as part of the ongoing pandemic response projected
    at over $1.8 billion, $1 billion of which is private-sector
    costs.
        In addition, the financial impact of our military support
    to the FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) missions,
    which remains ongoing, are still being assessed. We are working
    within the Department to try and mitigate these shortfalls that
    are challenging.
        The Department continues to focus on internal business
    process improvements to find greater efficiencies and remains
    vigilant about variation in year-to-year expenditures. We are
    appreciative that Congress continues to grant the Department
    carryover authority each year. We are also grateful for this
    committee's long-term advocacy and support for our military
    medical research program. Military medical research advances
    the state of medical science in those areas of most pressing
    need and relevance to today's emerging threats, which includes
    the COVID pandemic.
        When released, our fiscal year 2022 budget will present a
    balanced, comprehensive strategy that aligns with the
    Secretary's priorities to include the ongoing response to the
    pandemic. We look forward to working with you over the coming
    months to further refine and articulate our objectives in a
    manner that improves value for everyone: our warfighters, our
    combatant commanders, our patients, our medical force, and the
    American taxpayer.
        Thank you for inviting me here today to speak with you
    about military medicine, our response to the global pandemic,
    the essential integration between readiness and health, and
    about our plans to further improve our health system in support
    of the National Defense Strategy on behalf of our uniform
    servicemembers and the families we serve.
        Thank you.
        [The statement follows:]
              Prepared Statement of Dr. Terry Adirim, MD, MPH, MBA
        Chairman Tester, Vice Chairman Shelby, distinguished Members of the
    Subcommittee, I am pleased to represent the Office of the Secretary of
    Defense to discuss the Defense Health Program (DHP) and its
    contributions to the health affairs of the Department. I am honored to
    represent the dedicated military and civilian medical professionals in
    the Military Health System (MHS), which provides direct support to our
    combatant commanders and delivers health care for our 9.6 million
    beneficiaries.
        This hearing is occurring in advance of the formal release of the
    President's FY22 full budget. My testimony will provide the
    Subcommittee with information on major activities that will inform our
    budget proposal for FY22 as well as issues affecting FY21 execution.
    The most significant issue, looming over all of our projections, is the
    national response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Our national success in
    reducing the spread of the virus, and vaccinating our population, will
    affect every aspect of our health care costs. For that reason, my
    testimony will begin with the current state of the DoD response to
    COVID-19.
                               covid-19 response
        The past fourteen months have represented a unique and challenging
    period for our Nation as we've confronted and responded to the COVID-19
    pandemic. In line with the President's priorities, Secretary Austin has
    made clear that the greatest proximate challenge to our Nation's
    security is the threat of COVID-19. The Department has, and will
    continue to, act boldly and quickly to support Federal government
    efforts to defeat this disease. The MHS is providing critical health
    support worldwide to our military forces, supporting other Federal and
    state entities as part of a whole-of-government response to this
    crisis, and continuing to meet other strategic, global mission
    requirements, while sustaining high quality health services to our
    military Service members and their families.
        Beginning with the declaration of a global pandemic in March 2020,
    the MHS provided essential crisis response services in support of
    military leaders and civilian demands. Though this summary is not all-
    inclusive, I will briefly mention several critical initiatives that
    contributed to the national response and also generated additional
    expenditures for the Department.
        Surveillance and Laboratory Testing. Soon after the pandemic began,
    the Secretary of Defense established the DoD Coronavirus Task Force
    that included a Diagnostics and Testing Line of Effort. The Department
    grew its laboratory testing capacity from 16 operational laboratories
    in late March 2020 to 189 operational laboratories by March 2021, and
    increased on-hand SARS-COV-2 tests from approximately 200,000 to over
    1.8 million. To date, the Department has conducted well over 3 million
    tests and has tests on-hand to conduct more than 100K tests per week.
    Testing is a key public health intervention that has helped to limit
    the spread of SARS-COV-2 within the military. Coupled with other public
    health measures like social distancing and masking, military
    installations have consistently lower positivity rates than their
    surrounding communities.
        Even as vaccination efforts continue to increase, testing will
    remain a key pillar of our public health strategy to battle this
    disease and maintain a ready force. Screening through antigen and PCR
    testing using a variety of testing strategies in a post-vaccination
    environment will continue as part of the Department's COVID-19 risk
    mitigation strategy to drive cases down toward zero. The Department is
    also committed to whole genome sequencing and identification of
    variants of concern and interest and to understanding their prevalence
    among our Service members and other beneficiaries. The Department has
    already committed the resources and funding to more than double the
    number of specimens the Department can sequence and analyze each week.
        Clinical Support for Treatment and Therapeutics. Early in the COVID
    response, the Defense Health Agency (DHA) developed and released the
    first DoD COVID-19 Practice Management Guide (PMG) to provide
    clinicians and Military Treatment Facilities (MTFs)--our military
    clinics and hospitals--with a single document on best practices
    informed by the latest evidence, and guidance across all clinical care
    specialties. The PMG has been continually updated and rereleased, with
    the most recent version (Version 7) published in March 2021. The DHA
    also established a Joint Registry for COVID-19. Using the Joint Trauma
    Registry as a foundation for this effort, the COVID Registry collects
    and assesses clinical information on COVID patients, in order to inform
    our military medical community on the rapidly evolving science behind
    this disease. In April 2020, DHA also put forth the Health Protection
    Condition (HPCON) Guidance in a COVID-19 Environment, which contained
    CDC informed guidance to support MTFs in healthcare delivery in
    response to COVID-19, based on the locally-determined risk level.
        In June 2020, DHA began an effort to collect donated units of
    plasma from patients who had fully recovered from COVID-19 to support
    development of an effective treatment against the disease. Again, the
    DHA relied on the COVID-19 registry to identify potential donors, as
    well as capture the use of, and outcomes from, convalescent plasma on
    hospitalized COVID patients. In August 2020, after receiving Emergency
    Use Authorization (EUA) from FDA, COVID-19 convalescent plasma was made
    available to MTFs for investigational treatment of COVID-positive
    patients who met established criteria in accordance with approved
    protocols.
        The MHS worked closely to implement other, FDA-approved treatments
    for COVID. In September 2020, shortly after Veklury (remdesivir; first
    FDA-approved treatment for COVID- 19) received an expanded EUA, the
    medication was rapidly pre-positioned throughout DoD to ensure
    availability to hospitalized patients with suspected or laboratory-
    confirmed COVID-19, irrespective of their severity of disease.
    Similarly, in November 2020, after receiving an EUA from FDA for COVID-
    19 monoclonal antibody treatment, DHA developed and disseminated
    specialized guidance to assist MTFs and healthcare providers regarding
    patient care considerations when administering this treatment for mild
    and moderate cases.
        Individual Medical Readiness. COVID-19 did affect medical readiness
    within the military. The Department uses a concept called Individual
    Medical Readiness (IMR) to measure medical readiness, which consists of
    six elements. These are Dental Readiness, Immunizations, Medical
    Readiness Labs, Deployment-Limiting Medical Condition (DLMC) Status,
    Periodic Health Assessment (PHA), and Individual Medical Equipment. In
    2015, the DoD Total Force Medically Ready (TFMR) goal was set at 85%.
    Since 2015, the Total Force has consistently met or exceeded the 85%
    goal. With COVID-19 pandemic beginning in the 2nd quarter of 2020, TFMR
    decreased below the Department's 85% goal. As of the 4th Quarter of
    Calendar Year 2020, TFMR compliance was 82.2%; Active Component IMR
    compliance was 82.4% and Reserve Component IMR compliance was 81.7%.
        The COVID-19 pandemic most affected Dental Readiness and
    Immunizations. These IMR requirements can only be completed via in-
    person clinic visits. Of note, throughout the pandemic, medical
    readiness for deploying Service Members was prioritized and all
    personnel are required to be fully medically ready prior to deployment.
    Capabilities such as virtual and telephonic medical appointments
    allowed MTFs to continue to provide access to medical readiness support
    services. We expect IMR rates to quickly recover and return to pre-
    COVID levels as our vaccination campaign proceeds through spring and
    summer 2021.
        Healthcare Delivery and Deferred Medical Care. In both the direct
    care system and the TRICARE network, the Department has worked to
    ensure beneficiaries receive medically necessary and readiness-related
    care throughout the pandemic and we are currently working to address
    delayed or deferred care. In addition to guidance for MTFs on standard
    processes to provide medically necessary care that could not be
    delayed, the Department significantly expanded the use of Virtual
    Health (VH) to meet beneficiary demand while minimizing unnecessary
    risks for patients and staff.
        MTFs and Markets are increasing the number of available
    appointments to meet patient demand for care and schedule previously
    delayed care. Despite additional workload associated with COVID-related
    deployments and vaccinations, MTF appointment availability is
    approaching pre-pandemic levels and access to appointments for routine
    and follow-up care averages 4.8 days, which is better than the standard
    of 7.0 days or fewer. Likewise, specialty referrals are up from spring
    2020 levels and are approaching pre-pandemic rates. While direct care
    performance on cancer and other preventive screening is lagging
    compared to strong pre-pandemic performance, MTF staff members are
    actively reaching out to beneficiaries to encourage and facilitate
    screening appointments.
        For network care, DHA worked with the managed care support
    contractors to develop strategies to ensure our beneficiaries' ability
    to access care in the network, ensured resources were monitored to
    confirm provider availability, expanded availability of VH and eased
    beneficiary access to providers by extending referral and authorization
    limits and adjusting rules impacting beneficiary cost shares.
        Public Health Planning. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the
    importance of integrated DoD and interagency public health planning,
    which includes conducting realistic exercises with federal, state and
    local public health partners. However, the MHS pivoted quickly and
    effectively in responding to the pandemic across a wide range of
    requirements, both internal to DoD and across the public health
    universe. In the process, we learned lessons and developed associated
    recommendations that can have an immediate and sustained impact on the
    ability of the MHS to support the ongoing pandemic and to prepare for
    future major public health emergencies. Chief among these actions is
    developing even tighter integrated coordination with interagency
    partners such as the National Institute of Health, the Centers for
    Disease Control and Prevention, the Federal Emergency Management Agency
    and other organizations regarding global medical surveillance of cases
    and variants of concern. As a primary partner in the interagency
    scientific community, DoD shares genetic sequencing, seroprevalence
    information and other relevant surveillance data with interagency
    partners.
        Medical Education & Training. The collaborative leadership efforts
    of the Medical Enlisted Training Campus and the Services resulted in
    minimal disruptions in training by maximizing the interoperability and
    capabilities of alternative learning modalities and technology
    adoption. The MHS kept graduation rates on target, and the end-strength
    of enlisted medical career fields healthy and ready to support
    Combatant Commanders. Additionally, the MHS expanded support for
    continuing education credits (CE) for 16 healthcare specialties and
    awarded over 90 thousand continuing education/medical credits.
    Continuing education credits are required for health professional
    licensure and certifications. The Defense Medical Modeling and
    Simulation Office recognized an opportunity to provide immediate
    support in meeting COVID-19 related simulation training gaps/needs of
    the transitioned Markets and associated Military Medical Treatment
    Facilities.
        COVID-19 Vaccine and Immunization Implementation. Since December
    2020, the Department introduced a global immunization campaign to
    deliver expanding supplies of vaccines approved for use under an EUA.
    In December 2020, DHA issued a DHA Interim Procedures Memorandum to
    implement instructions, assign responsibilities, and prescribe
    procedures for the COVID-19 Vaccination Program. DHA continues to issue
    updates on the coordinated strategy for prioritizing, distributing, and
    administering the COVID-19 vaccine, with the most recent DoD
    Vaccination Plan modification (MOD-12) released in April 2021.
        As of April 16, 2021, the Department had administered over 2.5
    million doses of the three vaccines authorized by the FDA under an EUA.
    However, on April 14th, DoD implemented the CDC and FDA recommendation
    to pause administration of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine until federal
    health experts conclude their review of the rare, severe adverse events
    that have occurred in a small number of individuals. Although DoD was
    distributing all of its Johnson & Johnson vaccine to overseas
    locations, the Moderna vaccine still represented the majority of our
    overseas allocation. If this pause extends beyond several weeks, DoD
    will consider adjusting its current allocations to accommodate our
    overseas requirements.
        Adapted from the CDC tiered framework for prioritizing individuals
    for vaccination, the DoD population schema includes persons in critical
    national security positions and deploying forces in the Tier 1
    priorities. Vaccinations are being administered at 350 DoD sites around
    the world, in addition to access to civilian sources for our
    beneficiaries. On April 19, 2021, the Department fully opened vaccine
    appointments to all eligible individuals, consistent with the
    President's direction to all jurisdictions.
        The vaccine remains voluntary for all eligible persons to include
    active duty Service members. The Department has implemented a
    comprehensive outreach and communications effort to encourage all
    eligible persons seek out these highly safe and effective vaccines. We
    are encouraged by the trends in vaccine acceptance, and are confident
    that all individuals over the age of 15 who want the vaccine will be
    fully vaccinated by mid-Summer.
        Defense Support to Civilian Authorities. In addition to the
    comprehensive response in support of the military mission, the Defense
    Department has provided significant expertise, logistics support, and
    personnel to civilian communities. Early in the pandemic, the DHA
    coordinated the delivery of critical inventory from existing strategic
    reserves to the Department of Health and Human Services for
    redistribution to civilian communities. This support included delivery
    of five million N-95 masks and over two thousand ventilators. The US
    Navy deployed the USNS Comfort and USNS Mercy to civilian ports on the
    east and west coasts to provide hospital bed surge capacity for cities
    in crisis. Throughout 2020, Army, Navy and Air Force personnel deployed
    as units to civilian hospitals around the country to augment local
    staff. Military medical personnel took on key positions with Operation
    Warp Speed, and infectious disease experts and medical researchers from
    DoD medical research and development offices collaborated closely with
    the broader American medical research community.
        COVID-19 After Action Review (AAR). The MHS is a learning
    organization, and we are committed to continuously improving our
    performance--whether in battlefield medicine, health care quality and
    safety, or our COVID response efforts. Consistent with the FY21 NDAA,
    Section 731, the MHS established a rigorous AAR process, led by the
    Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. This AAR builds
    on the MHS interim AAR process and report established by the ASD(HA) in
    May 2020 and completed in January 2021. The Department will submit a
    substantive, interim report to Congress under Section 731 by 1 June,
    and submit a final report by the close of 2021.
        Effects on the FY21 Budget. We remain deeply appreciative of the
    FY20 supplemental appropriation of $2.2 billion, as part of the CARES
    Act, that covered the significant costs incurred during our initial
    response.
        In FY21, however, costs attributable to the pandemic response
    continue to accumulate. As of March 31, 2021, our mid-year review of
    the Defense Health Program (DHP) identified likely shortfalls as part
    of the ongoing pandemic response, which we are working with the
    Department to resolve. In addition, the financial impact of our
    military support to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
    missions, which remain ongoing, continue to be assessed. The most
    significant cost drivers include higher than projected Private Sector
    Care costs; additional laboratory testing; personal protective
    equipment (PPE) expenditures; and numerous other requirements from
    public health surveillance to antiseptic cleaning of medical
    facilities.
        While there are opportunities to realign funds to meet the
    operational imperative of the pandemic response, actions will still
    create additional risk and financial liability at a later date.
                           mhs reforms and transition
        The FY 2017 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) enacted
    sweeping reforms to the organization and management of military
    medicine. The over-arching direction from Congress was to centralize
    and standardize many military health care functions in a way that
    better integrates readiness and health delivery throughout the
    Department. Included among these reforms: the expanded authority and
    responsibility of the DHA to manage MTFs worldwide; and the authority
    to adjust medical infrastructure in the MHS to maintain readiness and
    core competencies of health care providers.
        Following a strategic pause in transition activities due to the
    initial COVID-19 pandemic response, which was directed and then lifted
    by the Secretary of Defense in April and November 2020 respectively,
    the MHS has continued executing the transition of Military Medical
    Treatment Facilities (MTF) to DHA management in accordance with the
    Department's approved, conditions-based execution plan that meets the
    intent of Section 702 of the FY17 NDAA.
        In the coming weeks, we expect to certify all Wave 1 Market Offices
    (i.e, San Antonio, Tidewater, Colorado, Puget Sound, and Hawaii). These
    critical markets account for 34 percent of the MHS' dispositions, 48
    percent of the MHS's direct care expenditures, and 11 percent of the
    MHS's purchased care expenditures--providing tremendous opportunities
    for continued standardization and optimization. Wave 2 Market
    Establishment planning is underway, and we plan to institute an
    intermediate headquarters to manage the remainder of our small
    hospitals and clinics in early June. There are still outstanding
    personnel transfer issues to resolve, however, that place at risk our
    ability to complete this transition by the congressionally established
    deadline of September 30, 2021.
        Section 703 of the FY2016 NDAA directed the Secretary of Defense to
    submit to the congressional defense committees an implementation plan
    to restructure or realign military medical treatment facilities. This
    report was transmitted to Congress on February 19, 2020. The report
    articulated the DoD's decisions to align MTFs to increase the readiness
    of our operational and medical forces and achieve a proper balance
    between meeting readiness requirements and managing the total cost of
    health care in the direct and purchased care systems.
        All restructuring efforts were paused on April 2, 2020 as a result
    of the resources required to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. The
    Department is revalidating the assumptions made regarding its readiness
    requirements prior to the pandemic, as well as the assessment of
    network capacity to absorb additional patients where we intend to
    proceed with right-sizing plans. The DHA will take a conditions-based
    approach to any transition of medical services. In other words,
    transition will only occur when we are certain that local TRICARE
    networks can provide timely and quality access to health care. If they
    cannot, we will revise our plans.
                           mhs genesis implementation
        The Department continues to proceed with the multi-year
    implementation of its new, Electronic Health Record (EHR), MHS GENESIS.
    Although we paused a number of specific, in-person activities during
    the COVID-19 response, we still delivered the two Waves scheduled for
    completion in 2020, two currently in 2021, and remain on schedule for
    enterprise completion in 2023. As of today, MHS GENESIS supports the
    delivery of safe, high-quality data to patients and providers across 20
    MTFs.
        The value of MHS GENESIS has become even more apparent during the
    COVID-19 response. We were able to implement COVID-specific
    configuration changes in MHS GENESIS within hours on several occasions
    that provided senior military and civilian leaders with timely
    information on COVID laboratory testing results and the health of our
    force and our beneficiaries; the same changes in our legacy systems
    took nearly four weeks to implement.
        MHS GENESIS' mass vaccination capabilities have produced a
    significant improved workflow that allows the Military Departments to
    assess the status of service member inoculations in order to ensure
    readiness. For example, medical personnel at Twentynine Palms,
    California successfully screened 700 active duty Marine records within
    days of going live with MHS GENESIS in September. The process was so
    successful that Cerner made the solution part of its baseline product
    for commercial use.
        DoD and VA continue to closely collaborate on a fully integrated
    EHR with the oversight of the Federal Electronic Health Record
    Modernization (FEHRM) office. The Departments collaborated with the
    FEHRM to launch the joint health information exchange (joint HIE) in
    April 2020, creating a single common gateway through which DOD and VA
    providers can send data to and retrieve data from participating private
    sector partners. With the FEHRM's leadership, the Departments support a
    Federal Enclave providing a single, common record with high
    cybersecurity standards, joint configuration boards to ensure
    standardized workflows, and shared risks, schedules and lessons
    learned.
                     tricare 5th generation contracts (t-5)
        The Department continues to manage the TRICARE Program in a manner
    that seeks to reduce the growth in health care costs while ensuring our
    health benefit remains an exceptional tool for recruitment and
    retention of military personnel and their families. Among the most
    important strategies we pursue is the development of effective TRICARE
    contracts that deliver high-value, patient-centric care designed to
    seamlessly integrate military and private sector care in support of
    readiness and health outcomes.
        The T-5 contracts represent the next generation of contracts that
    provide DHA with the flexibility to adjust network requirements,
    improve professional services support, and adapt care delivery models
    in support of evolving mission requirements and changes in American
    health care delivery. After an extensive, multi-year engagement with
    Department leaders, industry, and other stakeholders, as well as three
    draft Requests for Proposal (RFPs) shared with industry, the Department
    issued the T-5 RFP on April 9, 2021. The goals of this procurement
    support (1) military medical readiness and the readiness of the medical
    force; (2) beneficiary choice; (3) high value care; and the adoption of
    Industry Business Standards.
        The Department looks forward to healthy competition from industry
    and the inclusion of new health care delivery models in the coming
    proposals. As part of the T-5 process, the Department will conduct
    ``Competitive Demonstrations'' during the contract's period of
    performance. Twenty-one potential markets are identified in geographic
    areas where MTFs may rightsize, downsize or where DHA provides TRICARE
    Prime but no MTF exists. The RFP also specifies three innovations:
    Virtual Value Networks, Advanced Primary Care, and Care Collaboration
    Tools that will start with T-5 initiation and up to seven other
    demonstrations are planned during the life of the contract. DHA
    anticipates receipt of offeror proposals no later than August 13, 2021.
    The new contracts are planned to begin health care delivery in Calendar
    Year 2024.
                        medical research and development
        The Department is grateful for the long-term advocacy and support
    for its military medical research program. The DHP research,
    development, test, and evaluation (RDT&E) focus is to advance the state
    of medical science in those areas of most pressing need and relevance
    to today's emerging threats, which includes the COVID-19 pandemic.
        We seek to discover and explore innovative approaches to protect
    and support the readiness, health, and welfare of military personnel;
    to accelerate the transition of medical technologies to development and
    acquisition; and to accelerate the translation of advances in knowledge
    into new standards of care and treatment that can be applied in the
    field or in military medical treatment facilities.
        In the coming years, we hope to leverage new technologies to
    include artificial intelligence and machine learning, biotechnology,
    and autonomous systems. The goal is to accelerate the transition of
    medical technologies to development and acquisition programs, and to
    further the translation of new standards of care to support and
    treatment that can be applied in the field or in military medical
    treatment facilities. We will seek to mitigate deployment-limiting
    medical conditions for service members by focusing on injury prevention
    and rehabilitation.
        The MHS continue to employ and strengthen our enterprise-wide
    performance management systems that provide stakeholders--both medical
    and line leadership--at all levels of the military with visibility into
    how we are performing on key metrics. These dashboards show
    longitudinal performance in measures of readiness, health, access,
    quality, safety and cost. We monitor critical indicators of quality and
    safety--that point us toward high reliability as a system of care.
    Access to primary care and specialty care are measured along with
    patient satisfaction to ensure we are meeting patient expectations. We
    have provided Department leadership, MTF commanders and staff with
    visibility into COVID-19 specific measures that include, but are not
    limited to operational hospital bed capacity and surge capabilities,
    timely laboratory test results, PPE inventories, COVID-19 vaccine
    target population and vaccine administration data, as well as important
    private sector care data.
        Our dashboards can be viewed at an enterprise level, by Service, by
    market, and by individual hospital or clinic. We will continue to adapt
    this management system as the MTF transition progresses. Commanders can
    assess their performance against expected benchmarks, against peer
    institutions, and--where possible--against civilian sector performance
    as well. These dashboards help us to both assess how we are doing in
    these areas, and where we need to invest resources, training, or
    management attention in order to achieve further improvement.
                      other significant health initiatives
        There are several other health initiatives that merit comment--
    chief among these is access to timely, high quality mental health
    services and related activities to reduce the incidence of suicide
    among our service members, their families, and all beneficiaries. The
    Department is committed to the health, welfare and safety of our
    service members and families and we have undertaken a broad-based
    campaign encouraging service members to seek mental health treatment
    when signs or symptoms occur, help service members and their families
    to identify those signs and symptoms, and to de-stigmatize mental
    health care overall.
        The DoD has invested in a number of programs to increase access to
    mental health care for Service members who are experiencing symptoms of
    a psychological health condition. Service members are eligible to
    receive free, comprehensive behavioral health care (including clinical
    assessment, psychotherapy, and psychiatric treatment) at their local
    military medical treatment facilities. We also have programs that embed
    psychological health providers in operational units to assist Service
    members in their everyday work environments. The primary care medical
    homes provide follow-up when Service members disclose psychological
    health concerns to their primary care provider. Military OneSource is
    our 24/7 resource to connect Service members to information about their
    psychological health, non-medical counseling for stress management, and
    referrals to healthcare providers.
        We have witnessed significant improvements in destigmatization and
    increased use of behavioral health services. Nonetheless, suicide rates
    remain unacceptably high. Suicide is a very complex issue with many
    biological, social, and psychological factors that contribute to
    suicide. In recognition of this complexity, the DoD implements a
    comprehensive public health approach to suicide prevention and
    intervention. The DoD is focused on using every available resource to
    support our Service members.
        For example Service members are screened for symptoms of
    psychological health conditions throughout their service. All Service
    members who are deployed in connection with a contingency operation
    receive a series of deployment health screenings designed to identify
    psychological health concerns, including posttraumatic stress disorder
    (PTSD) that may require referral for additional care and treatment.
    Additionally, all Service members, regardless of deployment status,
    receive a mental health assessment upon separation from military
    service to ensure documentation of any psychological health conditions
    and arrange for appropriate follow-up.
        Currently the DoD and VA are working together in the development of
    a single Separation Health Assessment that will include a Mental Health
    Assessment. This effort will make the separation process more efficient
    and improve the mental health care of our Service members. Clinical
    Practice Guidelines have been formulated for all major clinical
    conditions in mental health, and Joint VA/DoD Clinical Practice
    Guidelines (CPGs) for mental health care facilitate delivery of
    evidence-based mental health care practices and strengthen the ability
    to maintain mental health readiness.
        Beyond individual approaches, the public health approach also
    includes broader efforts, such as those targeted for our populations of
    greatest concern (young and enlisted Service members) and developing
    initiatives to support military families. For example, current efforts
    include interactive educational pilot programs to teach foundational
    skills to effectively deal with life stressors and to address help-
    seeking concerns and encourage use of support resources.
        The Department continues to promote initiatives that increase
    awareness of risk factors for suicide, safe storage of lethal means
    (e.g., firearms and medications), and communicate how to intervene in a
    crisis. For example, DoD trained more than 2,000 non-medical military
    providers to provide Counseling on Access to Lethal Means (CALM) to
    Service members and families to increase awareness of risk factors for
    suicide, safe storage of lethal means (e.g., firearms, medications, and
    other lethal means), and how to intervene in a crisis. DoD is expanding
    on this pilot program for other influencers, such as spouses.
                              overall fy22 budget
        The soon-to-be released budget will prioritize our resource
    requirements to address the COVID-19 pandemic and also address health
    care delivery challenges caused by the pandemic.
        The Defense Health Program funding level that will be proposed by
    the Department in the FY 2022 President's Budget re-baselines health
    care program resources based on FY 2020 execution prior to the onset of
    COVID. Some residual risks remain, such as the COVID-related effects of
    previously delayed care that may return, potentially deleterious
    impacts on beneficiaries' health due to delaying or forgoing care,
    unrecognized impacts of COVID-19 among asymptomatic or long-term,
    persistent disease, and the inherent uncertainty in predicting
    healthcare costs.
        The MHS is not unique in the variability associated with predicting
    health care costs as all health insurers face these same challenges
    when forecasting their health expenditures for a given year. Changes in
    medical practice, demand for services, and new procedures and drugs are
    hard to predict. COVID has only exacerbated these challenges.
        It is important to consider the FY22 budget request in the context
    of MHS cost control for the last ten years. Over the period of FY 2012
    to FY 2018, both private health insurance premiums and National Health
    Expenditures per capita rose 25% (or 3.7% annually). However, the
    Department, working with Congress, instituted a series of initiatives
    that reduced DoD costs well below the rate of civilian growth. A
    combination of benefit changes, payment savings initiatives, contract
    changes, and population reductions masked underlying increases in
    health care costs. Starting in FY 2019, cost patterns returned to
    normal growth until the COVID pandemic significantly reduced the
    utilization of health care services beginning in March 2020.
        The Department continues to pursue efforts focused on internal
    business process improvements and structural changes to find greater
    efficiencies, such as further integrating and standardizing the
    operation of hospitals and clinics; continuing the deployment of MHS
    GENESIS; modernizing clinical and business processes; and, streamlining
    internal operations. The Department is not requesting any additional
    changes to beneficiary cost-sharing in the FY22 budget.
        The Department remains vigilant about variation in year-to-year
    expenditures, and we are appreciative that Congress continues to grant
    the Department carryover authority each year. Carryover authority
    allows DoD to maintain better funding flows to minimize disruption of
    health care services to our beneficiaries. We are committed to making
    our health care cost projections even more transparent in the year of
    execution, providing regular updates to the committee, and providing
    full visibility to Congress on potential plans for reprogramming funds
    within the fiscal year should that possibility unfold. Furthermore, we
    will ensure that available funding is directed toward unfunded medical
    readiness and health care delivery requirements. Carryover authority is
    an invaluable tool that provides the Department with needed flexibility
    to manage issues that emerge during the year of budget execution.
        When released, our FY22 budget will present a balanced,
    comprehensive strategy that aligns with the Secretary's priorities, to
    include the ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and continues to
    fulfill our requirements associated with our congressionally directed
    transition. We look forward to working with you over the coming months
    to further refine and articulate our objectives in a manner that
    improves value for everyone--our warfighters, our combatant commanders,
    our patients, our medical force, and the American taxpayer.
        Thank you for inviting me here today to speak with you about
    military medicine and our response to the global pandemic, the
    essential integration between readiness and health, and about our plans
    to further improve our health system in support of the National Defense
    Strategy and for our beneficiary population.

        Senator Tester. Thank you, Dr. Adirim.
        General Dingle.
    STATEMENT OF LIEUTENANT GENERAL R. SCOTT DINGLE,
                SURGEON GENERAL, DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
        General Dingle. Chairman Tester, Vice Chair Shelby, and
    distinguished members of the subcommittee. Thank you for your
    support and for the honor to speak to you on behalf of over
    83,000 active-duty Guard and Reserve Army soldier medics.
        COVID-19 and unexpected challenges to our national security
    attempted to attack the foundation of our Nation, but it did
    not disrupt the fabric of our Constitution and its Army's
    response to it.
        I honor the soldiers that I am privileged to lead. As
    General McConville, our 40th Chief of Staff of the Army,
    states, ``People first and winning matters.'' I am proud to say
    that our Army is ready to win. Within days of our Nation's
    call, we collaborated with Health and Human Services, the
    Department of Homeland Security, and our State governments. We
    expanded critical testing capacity, inculcated retiree recalls,
    deployed vaccine and medical teams in support of civilian
    entities, and partnered with medical research and development
    in support of the whole-of-government approach.
        Soldiers deployed to three countries, 19 States, and three
    territories, to include California, Illinois, North Dakota,
    Washington, and Wisconsin to support and to save American
    lives. You called, we were ready, we responded.
        My vision for Army Medicine is clear. We will be ready,
    reformed, reorganized, responsive, and relevant in this era of
    unprecedented global complexity whether in support of our
    National Defense Strategy and whenever our government calls.
    So, when the Army deploys today and fights tonight, Army
    Medicine will be right there to return our soldiers to duty
    tomorrow. From the foxhole to the fixed facility, we will
    conserve the health and fitness of the fighting force and
    reinforce our readiness requirements through healthcare acuity
    for our beneficiaries.
        I will ensure that integrated medical efforts occur with
    strong fiscal stewardship and partnership between Army
    Medicine, the Joint Force, and the Defense Health Agency
    ensuring the readiness of our soldiers. The vision and
    operational focus for Army Medicine remains at building
    readiness and properly manned and proficiently trained units
    and modernizing to remain ready and relevant for future
    conflicts and challenged. Medical reform directors will be
    implemented to maximize readiness in support of the Army
    mission.
        Finally, we are committed to sustaining and improving our
    partnerships, foreign and domestic, to elevate battlefield
    interoperability, and to support our National Defense Strategy.
        In closing, I thank the committee for your long-standing
    support to the Army and military medicine. I look forward to
    answering your questions.
        [The statement follows:]
            Prepared Statement of Lieutenant General R. Scott Dingle
        Chairman Tester, Ranking Member Shelby, and distinguished members
    of the subcommittee thank you for the opportunity to speak to you on
    behalf of our Army's health professionals--Soldiers, Civilians, and
    their Families, about the state of Army Medicine. As the 45th Army
    Surgeon General, I want to express my gratitude for your unwavering
    support.
        Today, in the 20th year since 9/11, over 190,000 Soldiers are
    engaged worldwide to support contingency operations, multiple
    exercises, and theater security cooperation activities. Before this
    novel coronavirus pandemic, Army Soldiers and Civilians had served
    throughout the world as part of the Joint Force. This last year,
    however, has made our work like no other in our Nation's history.
        Before I begin my comments, I would like to acknowledge those
    tragically taken by the virus and other violent acts. They were
    mothers, fathers, first responders, healthcare providers, the elder,
    and the young, too many lives sacrificed. May they rest in peace.
        I would also like to honor the Soldiers, civilians, contractors,
    and volunteers I am privileged to lead. As our 40th Chief of Staff of
    the Army states, ``People First, Winning Matters!'' I am proud to say
    that our People are ready to win. Within days of the Nation's call,
    Soldiers began building hospitals and testing centers where the Nation
    needed them most. Soldiers and the Federal Emergency Management Agency,
    state, and local partners converted the Javits Convention Center in New
    York City into an alternate care facility to meet the potential demand
    for hospital beds created by COVID-19. Our researchers, project
    managers, logisticians, public health officials, health facility and
    operational planners, and scientists were embedded with the interagency
    for the whole-of-government effort against COVID-19. Over 1,850 service
    members augmented civilian hospitals or community vaccination programs.
    You called. We were ready. We responded.
        We marshaled our best and very talented professionals from across
    the Army. Our scientists and public health officials developed
    therapeutics, pandemic surveillance modeling, and testing strategies
    that produced the relevant outcomes we see today. Medical research and
    public health, the Army's vital asset in fighting diseases, contributed
    to the national effort under the Military Infectious Diseases Research
    Program and partnered with civilian, academic, and federal agency
    counterparts at all echelons in the whole of government response. Army
    Medicine did this while sustaining the health of our Soldiers, family
    members, retirees, and civilians both at home and abroad.
        Since 2019, the Army and Army Medicine have been diligent in
    separating the resource requirements for the Services' readiness needs
    from benefit delivery. This deliberate effort has enabled the Army to
    expeditiously provide the foregoing actions to support operational and
    readiness requirements.
        As The Army Surgeon General, my top priority is the health,
    welfare, and readiness of our Soldiers, their Families, our Civilians,
    and our Soldiers-for-Life, especially after two decades of persistent
    conflict across the globe. The Army and Army Medicine must consider the
    policy and funding needs to keep us ready and relevant for future
    challenges. This is what we must discuss today.
                               army medicine 2028
        The Army Medicine 2028 vision operationalizes my plan to meet Army
    Medicine's strategic readiness priorities along with five key
    objectives--Ready, Reformed, Reorganized, Responsive, and Relevant.
      --Ready.--Taking care of people, our Soldiers, and our Families, is
            paramount to readiness. Their physical, cognitive, and
            emotional health are the cornerstones to personal readiness. We
            will build and sustain strategic readiness to ensure the
            operational force can win across all domains--land, air, sea,
            space, and cyber, by embracing modernization efforts through
            emerging technologies, synthetic training, and partnerships.
      --Reformed and Reorganized.--Our Army remains committed to medical
            reform initiatives. Similarly, Army Medicine must effectively
            reorganize in accordance with reform requirements and Army
            Senior Leader directives to remain nested with the Army
            Campaign Plan and the Army Modernization Strategy.
      --Responsive.--Army Medicine will tailor our expeditionary force to
            support the new paradigm of multi-domain operations,
            synchronized as part of the Joint Health Service Enterprise.
      --Relevant.--Army Medicine must change at the speed of relevance.
            This includes the modernization of critical capabilities,
            technical innovations, and expanded alliances and partnerships
            to meet the shared challenges of our time.
                             army medicine strategy
        The strategic vision positions Army Medicine to achieve the
    objectives and priorities set forth by the Army. The vision of Army
    Medicine 2028 is clear: we are responsive and relevant with
    expeditionary, tailored, medically ready, and ready medical forces to
    support the Army mission to deploy, fight, and win in a joint, multi-
    domain, high-intensity conflict.
        Nested with Army vision and priorities, I lay the foundation for
    evolving concepts, tactics, and requirements in five specific ways to
    achieve this vision. We must synchronize and integrate the medical
    effort. We must continue to build Army medicine readiness through
    proper manning, organizing, training, equipping, and leadership. We do
    this while continuing our modernization and medical reform efforts. We
    must do this while cultivating our international alliances and
    partnerships, force multipliers, and strategic assets to our national
    defense.
    Synchronize and Integrate the Medical Effort.
        In line with the Secretary of Defense's and Army senior leaders'
    guidance, Army Medicine will remain responsible and reliable for our
    teammates and stakeholders. We do this through our teamwork as the
    Army's medical voice regarding COVID-19 response, conserving the
    force's health and fitness, and caring for our beneficiaries, active
    and retired, at our treatment facilities. Our integrated efforts occur
    within and across the Army, between the Army and Defense Health Agency,
    and through the Joint Staff and Combatant Commands.
        COVID-19 Response: The Nation called; the Army was there with the
    relevant expertise, equipment, and technology to respond to this
    unprecedented public health crisis. We will not rest until the virus no
    longer threatens our Nation. The greatest proximate challenge to our
    Nation's security is the threat of COVID-19. Army Medicine is
    decisively engaged in fighting COVID-19 at all levels, supporting the
    Department of Defense and interagency partners to eradicate COVID-19. I
    will participate in the statutorily mandated COVID-19 medical health
    system review panel in the coming months. Per fiscal year (FY) 2021
    National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) Section 732, my team will
    contribute and support the Secretary of Defense's strategy for pandemic
    preparedness and response plan. They are studying our response to
    COVID-19 and modifications to a pilot program on civilian and military
    partnerships to enhance medical interoperability and surge capability
    and capacity of the National Disaster Medical System. I finally want to
    express my gratitude to our Soldiers-for-Life. Last year, the Army
    asked our retirees to assist the historic effort to defeat COVID-19,
    and they responded. All of these men and women volunteers are true
    patriots and exemplars of the unwavering dedication of the Army
    Medicine team.
        Research, Development, and Acquisition: Army Medicine is the Army's
    medical shield defending the force against COVID-19 in this whole-of-
    government approach. We responded to the Severe Acute Respiratory
    Syndrome, Ebola, and Zika outbreaks in the recent past. The Army
    Medical research enterprise delivered therapeutics, including
    antibodies in convalescent plasma, collaborated on the study of 40
    million compounds, and managed approximately 80% of the Defense
    Department's investments dedicated to medical research and product
    development. To date in FY21, the Medical Research and Development
    Command dispersed $363 million for research, development, test, and
    evaluation; $280 million for operation and maintenance; and $59 million
    for procurement across myriad programs supporting the health of the
    Department and our Nation. In the year since COVID-19 became a
    household word, our research and development team used these needed
    funds to protect the Nation from deadly viruses.
        Health and Holistic Fitness (H2F): Holistic Health and Fitness, or
    H2F, is now part of our doctrine per Army Field Manual 7-22. As the
    Army Chief of Staff states, ``People are my #1 priority: Our Army's
    people are our greatest strength and our most important weapon
    system.'' To maintain our military strength, we will invest in
    understanding, assessing, and improving the American Soldier's holistic
    health. That means we have a comprehensive schema to enhance and
    maintain the Soldier's performance by making Army medical and health
    professionals part of building cohesive combat teams. In April 2020,
    3.75% of the Army is currently medically non-deployable, equating to
    38,400 Soldiers. Musculoskeletal injury contributed significantly to
    the Army's healthcare burden, negatively impacting Soldier health and
    Army readiness. To conserve the force, Army has 536 military
    authorizations in the future years' defense program (FYDP) between 2022
    and 2026 for physical therapists, occupational therapists, registered
    dietitians, and enlisted specialists to be forward arrayed within our
    combat formations to prevent or mitigate injuries and ensure faster
    recovery to maintain combat power.
        Army Recovery Care Program (ARCP): The Army maintains a robust
    Warrior Care program for managing recovery and complex care for
    wounded, ill, and injured Soldiers across all Army components. Our
    program, formerly the Warrior Care and Transition Program, is a
    critical enabler of Army readiness. Through the use of 14 Soldier
    Recovery Units, ARCP manages the recovery of wounded, ill, and injured
    Soldiers requiring complex care at Division/Corps installations and
    specialty medical centers. The program also provides resources and
    advocacy for Families and caregivers of Soldiers recovering in the
    program. Since the program's inception in 2007, more than 84,000
    Soldiers have entered the program. As of October 1, 2020, the program
    completed a two-year Army-directed restructure. Its current population
    of 1,752 reflects the single entry criteria for all three components
    and is in line with original restructure estimates of 1600-1800 as of
    December 31, 2020. The latest restructure has reduced 501
    authorizations and $35 million for Program Objective Memorandum (POM)
    2021, but will not decrement operations and support to the wounded
    warrior.
        Medical Military Construction: The construction of medical
    healthcare and research facilities supporting Army and Department of
    Defense personnel and missions continues. Army Medicine, the United
    States Army Corps of Engineers, and the Defense
        Health Agency provide collaborative leadership and management to
    multiple projects. I thank you for your enduring support of the medical
    military construction program. The Army will recapitalize over 78% (15
    of 19) of inpatient facilities between 2005 and 2026. The military
    health system continues to require future investments in military
    construction to support safe, quality care for our Soldiers, Family
    Members, and Soldiers for Life, as well as capital investments for
    medical research and public health activities. As of this submission,
    there are currently 14 active hospital, medical research, clinic, lab,
    and blood program projects supporting Army equities.
        Departments of Defense (DOD) and Veterans' Affair (VA) Partnership:
    Caring for our Soldiers-for-Life reflects our commitment to People and
    synchronizing the medical effort. In collaboration with the VA, the
    Army has an integrated joint effort for providing care to our retired
    population through robust healthcare resource sharing programs. Between
    2018 and 2019, Army Medicine provided $138.2 million in reimbursable
    care to veteran beneficiaries in our Army treatment facilities. All
    Army facilities with excess capacity to provide care to the veteran
    population under the healthcare resource sharing program. Our Soldiers-
    for-Life are America's strategic reserve. We are obligated to care for
    them.
    Build Readiness.
        Building and maintaining readiness is critical to my strategic
    goal. Army Medicine is pivoting to proficiently trained and manned
    units led by competent leaders, equipped with modern capabilities to
    provide expeditionary life/limb-saving to a multi-domain operations
    capable force by 2028. I acknowledge legislation regarding our force
    mix options and service models, as well as legislation regarding the
    military medical manning end strength. Readiness and deployability must
    remain a top priority of Commanders and Soldiers.
        Medical Readiness: To build combat readiness, we affirm the need to
    reduce the Army's non-deployable rate to 5%, even during the pandemic.
    This means that despite COVID-19, Soldiers continued to complete their
    annual health assessments and dental exams. Initially, COVID-19
    impacted our ability to conduct the screenings. To clear the backlog of
    Soldiers who fell out of compliance during the early phase of the
    pandemic, we began to use video or telephonic health assessments. At
    the end of calendar year 2020, only 3.75% of Soldiers were medically
    non-deployable.
        Individual and Collective Training: The Army is committed to the
    readiness for large-scale combat operations. I will provide the combat
    force high-quality medical care across the full continuum of combat
    casualty operations by reforming our medical training processes and
    seeking innovative partnerships and solutions to providing a ready
    medical force. Army Medicine is using various initiatives to build
    deployment readiness:
      --Army Graduate Medical Education.--Five to seven years of training
            after medical school is required to produce a board-eligible
            surgeon. The graduate program generates 96% of critical wartime
            specialty surgeons.
      --Military-Civilian Partnerships.--Army Medicine has entered into
            medical training agreements with civilian trauma centers and
            medical centers around the country. Pursuant to recent
            legislation, Army Medicine has placed doctors, nurses, and
            medics into facilities across the Nation, where, for example,
            members from forward surgical teams maximize their exposure to
            a high volume of patients with critical injuries. This cost-
            efficient initiative provides skills sustainment opportunities
            alongside our civilian counterparts in premier trauma centers
            and hospitals.
    Support Modernization of the Medical Force.
        Army Medicine's modernization efforts include developing medical
    concepts parallel with Army efforts. These expeditionary medical
    capabilities leverage emerging technologies, design the future medical
    force, ensure interoperability, and invest in synthetic training
    environments to provide the ``sets and reps'' required to be
    battlefield-ready. We must consider leveraging technology and updating
    our strategies to meet the realities of the landscape.
        Recruiting and Retention of Health Professional Officers (HPOs)
    (Talent Management): Our Army's philosophy is People First, and our
    attitude is Winning Matters. The Army is about People. I want to thank
    our legislators for acknowledging the need to increase special pay
    incentive programs and rate caps. The increase in health professional
    compensation assisted with medical accession bonuses, health
    professional scholarships, Financial Assistance Program, loan
    repayment, professional training and education programs and incentives,
    allows us to recruit and retain health professional officers as they
    make the tough decision to serve the Nation or answer the lucrative
    opportunities in the private sector. Per section 757 of the Fiscal Year
    2021 NDAA, at the direction of the Department of Defense, we will
    participate in the congressionally-mandated review of our force mix
    options and the service models to enhance our medical force's
    readiness.
        Virtual Health: As we sustain and modernize Army Medicine's talent
    management systems and organization, our hardware and software must
    match the dynamic threat landscape of the 21st century. In this regard,
    the legislation directs a review of our use of virtual health services
    across the Army. Leveraging this capability during the pandemic was
    critical in delivering medical treatment and timely access to care.
    During the year of COVID-19, when many dreaded entering medical
    treatment facilities, telehealth provided direct care to our patients.
    In FY15, there were over 40,000 virtual health encounters in Army
    Medicine. About 80% of these encounters were related to behavioral
    health. From March 2020 to January 2021, we had an extraordinary 4.2
    million virtual health encounters. Virtual health improves patient
    satisfaction, continuity of care, readiness, and access-all components
    for efficient and effective medical care.
        Medical Simulation/Synthetic Training: The Department of Simulation
    at the Medical Center of Excellence is the lead agency for Army medical
    modeling and simulation policy and strategy. Working with the Army's
    Program Executive Office Simulation, Training and Instrumentation, and
    in collaboration with Army Futures Command, our simulation efforts will
    improve medical skill training through synthetic cross-functional
    training. The artificial environment will provide the realistic
    repetitions necessary to train and sustain combat lifesavers and
    medical personnel for Multi-Domain Operations. Other examples of our
    technological needs include:
      --Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS).--This system enhanced
            casualty care through a combination of technologies and
            augmented reality delivered in the form of a Head-Up Display
            device. The system will include a casualty response function
            enabling the Close Combat Force to exercise squad-level
            response to taking casualties in tactical training scenarios.
      --Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TC3) Simulation.--A first-person
            game that allows a Soldier to play a combat medic's role during
            an infantry squad mission in an urban environment.
      --Vertical Lift.--The next-generation medical vertical lift, such as
            the medical variant of the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft,
            will give Army Medicine an aircraft with increased speed,
            range, survivability, and maneuverability to allow the Army to
            evacuate the injured from the battlefield to the point of care.
        We must make investments to develop further and purchase the
    required hardware and software to create the Synthetic Training
    Environment Medical training platforms and next generation of vertical
    lift.
    Medical Reform.
        The Medical Reform initiative aims to ensure the highest Soldier
    and provider medical readiness while reducing administrative
    requirements associated with military treatment facilities (MTFs)
    health and business processes, procedures, and practices to deliver
    more effective and efficient beneficiary care at less cost. The
    Department of the Army and Army Medicine are committed to this
    initiative as we diligently evaluate the Medial Department's structure,
    ensuring its coherence to the needs of Title 10 and our operational
    demands.
        Medical and Dental Treatment Facility Transition: Due to the novel
    coronavirus response, the military health systems reform efforts were
    paused in the last year. The Defense Health Agency will assume
    authority, direction, and control for all United States- based MTFs by
    September 30, 2021. The Army will transfer 126 Medical and 60 Dental
    Treatment Facilities to the Defense Health Agency. The Army retained
    statutory Title 10 responsibility for training, readiness, and
    oversight of Soldiers at the Medical Treatment Facilities, Dental
    Treatment Facilities, Public Health establishments, and Veterinary
    Treatment Facilities.
        Defense Health Program Funds Transfer: The FY21 appropriations
    drafted by this committee provided more than $1.1 billion from the
    Defense Health Program to the Army Operation and Maintenance account
    consisting of over 15 service-centric medical readiness programs--over
    $655 million within Army Medicine and over $445 million across Army
    Major Commands. We understand that we need to further evaluate our
    readiness requirements in subsequent years as the medical health
    systems reform and transition progress. We acknowledge this committee's
    recommendations on the need for precise details and justification for
    Army's Medical readiness programs. Finally, we are also working with
    the Defense Health Agency to ensure that those medical readiness
    services within the Defense Health Agency purview (about $895 million)
    are meeting the Army's requirement for comprehensive readiness for our
    Soldiers and their family members.
    Strengthen Alliances and Partnerships.
        Finally, our allies and partners are collaborators and force
    multipliers with whom we engage through various multilateral and
    bilateral affiliations, security cooperation programs, and global
    health engagement opportunities. From the early 1800s, to today, and
    into the future, the Army has a long-standing history responding to
    international public global health issues as a result of our
    responsibility to protect the health of our forces and to ensure that
    they are ready to deploy for missions anywhere in the world at a
    moment's notice. One component of global health engagements involves
    building, sustaining, and improving partner capacity so that nations
    can mature into competent combat health service support providers for
    their forces and coalitions in which they will operate. Among other
    capabilities, my goal in the Army Medicine strategy is to create a
    global network of military medical capabilities that will provide niche
    and system medical services to ensure ready, relevant, responsive, and
    excellent health service support both in the field and in the
    institutional setting.
        Funding for global health activities, partnership activities, and
    global health engagements has always been a challenge. As we have seen
    in the last year, our scientists' international work is a crucial
    funding concern. Allocated appropriations from Defense Health Program
    funds provided by our partner nations do not yield impactful results.
    Partner nation, Combatant Command, and Army Service Component Command
    prioritization toward combat and combat support capabilities are
    frequently below the cut line, underfunding global health engagements
    and medical security cooperation.
        To achieve global health objectives, medical forces would benefit
    from funding investment to continue and capitalize on our critical
    relationships with international ministries of defense, health,
    interior, academia, non-governmental, and private sector organizations.
    As required by statute, we will work with the Department to assess the
    feasibility of establishing medical security partnership with Taiwan
    (FY21 NDAA, Section 1260B) and the grant program to collaborate with
    Israel on post-traumatic stress disorder research.
        Medical Research and Development Command laboratories in Thailand,
    Philippines, Nepal, Cambodia, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, and the
    Republic of Georgia conduct essential surveillance of biological
    threats and groundbreaking research on infectious diseases and diseases
    of military and public health significance. Through regional and
    functional health commands, the Army's global presence also serves as a
    force for good, offering humanitarian assistance and disaster relief
    when requested.
        The Army Medical Center of Excellence provides officer and enlisted
    medical leadership training to approximately 200 soldiers from partner
    nations. Of these, our relationship with the Israel Defense Force
    medical services, based on the 1978 United States-Israel Data Exchange
    Agreement on Military Medicine, or ``Shoresh,'' sustained our
    relationship through their International Medical Programs office and
    the Army's Medical Strategic Leadership Program. Similarly, our
    relationship with Taiwan (one which Army Medicine looks forward to
    expanding) was sustained through our educational programs, which had 25
    participants in recent years.
        Army Medicine will build on our experience from multinational staff
    hospitals in Iraq and Afghanistan as the opportunity affords. We do
    this while leveraging current experiences in Europe with our allies and
    partner nations to strengthen our many long-lasting international
    relationships with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the
    American-British-Canadian-Australian-and New Zealand alliances. When
    matured, these relationships will enhance the readiness of future US
    military operations in that region. The corporate and national response
    to the global pandemic, ongoing research and development of freeze-
    dried plasma, advancements in prosthetics and rehabilitation, and more
    effective treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder and other
    combat stress-related injuries have made Army Medicine a proven and
    formidable partner in global health and military medicine.
                                   conclusion
        In closing, I want to thank the committee for your long-standing
    support to the Army and Military Medicine. I remain committed to
    working with our defense, interagency, intergovernmental,
    multinational, and civilian partners to improve Army readiness. At the
    same time, our healthcare professionals continue to care for our
    Soldiers, Civilians, and their Families.
        From the foxhole to the fixed facility--Army Medicine will be
    ready, reformed, reorganized, responsive, and relevant. My vision will
    ensure that we sustain mutual trusted relationships within the Army,
    the Joint Force, and the Nation. When a Soldier calls for a medic, Army
    Medicine will be ready and responsive with expertly trained Soldiers
    capable of healing injuries to the body. Medical units should be
    adequately manned and equipped with the best equipment and technology.
    It is not about fighting the last war. We must have the People,
    cutting-edge tools, medical concepts, doctrine, capabilities, and the
    training for the next conflict. I appreciate the subcommittee's work
    and your continued support to our Soldiers, Army Medicine, and our
    Army.

        Senator Tester. Thank you, General Dingle.
        General Hogg.
    STATEMENT OF LIEUTENANT GENERAL DOROTHY A. HOGG,
                SURGEON GENERAL, DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR
                FORCE
        General Hogg. Chairman Tester, Vice Chairman Shelby, and
    distinguished members of the subcommittee, thank you for the
    opportunity to testify on behalf of more than 55,900 total
    force airmen who comprise the Air Force Medical Service. Your
    sustained confidence and support enables us to remain mission-
    focused, excellence-driven, and ready to fight tonight.
        Over the past year, our airmen have been involved in every
    aspect of the COVID-19 response. From the early days of initial
    public health emergency response to supporting the whole-of-
    government vaccine administration efforts, Air Force medics
    showed their ability to innovate.
        When COVID-19 epicenters in New York, California, Texas,
    and North Dakota were facing critical staffing shortages, we
    acted quickly, embedding critical care strike teams directly
    into civilian facilities.
        Today we have 1,000 Air Force medics deployed to 11 FEMA
    vaccination sites in 10 States to administer COVID-19 vaccines,
    and we expect them to surpass the 1 million mark this week.
        A year before the first COVID-19 case hit the U.S., we
    established our newest C-STARS training program at the
    University of Nebraska in Omaha. This Center for the
    Sustainment of Trauma and Readiness Skills focuses on disease
    containment.
        Our infectious disease specialists worked alongside
    civilian counterparts to treat some of the very first COVID-19
    patients using the university's biocontainment unit.
        We took our air medical evacuation capabilities into new
    territory when we were tasked to transport COVID-19 patients.
    Early in the pandemic, the rapid rise of cases drove the need
    to move more patients at once while mitigating the spread of
    COVID-19 to our aircrew members.
        We partnered with teams across the Department of Defense
    and the civilian industry to develop a new infectious disease
    transport system called the Negatively Pressurized Conex. This
    Conex can safely transport up to three times as many patients
    as the previous isolation system, and as of 19 April, we have
    completed 96 missions and moved 366 COVID-19 patients safely.
        While battling the pandemic, we also remained dedicated to
    the MHS (Military Health System) transformation efforts. We
    have worked side by side with the Defense Health Agency to
    identify all necessary processes needed to mature their
    functional capabilities. We also implemented a new medical
    reform model to improve our airmen's and guardians' readiness
    and deployability.
        We reorganized our medical treatment facilities into two
    squadrons. The first squadron focuses on the health of our
    airmen and our guardians, and the second squadron focuses on
    the health of our beneficiaries. This new model has been
    implemented at 66 bases, and early analysis has already shown
    the model enhances force readiness and lethality.
        This pandemic brought unprecedented challenges, but it also
    provided opportunities to accelerate, change, or lose, to
    become more agile, resilient, and capable to face the unknown.
    This is what we train for. We remain ready for the right. This
    mentality must remain in focus as we evolve to face the next
    major threat.
        It has been an honor to serve as the Air and Space Force
    Surgeon General alongside extraordinary medical professionals
    on the joint team. This is my final time to appear before this
    subcommittee, as I will be retiring this summer.
        Thank you for your continued support and for the
    opportunity to address you today, and I look forward to
    answering your questions.
        [The statement follows:]
            Prepared Statement of Lieutenant General Dorothy A. Hogg
        Chairman Tester, Ranking Member Shelby, and distinguished members
    of the Subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to testify on behalf
    of the 55,945 active duty, reserve, national guard, and civilian Airmen
    who comprise the Air Force Medical Service. It is an honor to serve
    with these Airmen who demonstrate their ongoing dedication to the
    mission resulting in the success of the Department of the Air Force.
    Your sustained confidence and support in our efforts enables us to
    remain mission-focused, excellence-driven and ready to fight tonight.
        The Air Force Medical Service supports the Department of the Air
    Force's mission to fly, fight and win, and defend American interests in
    air, space, and cyberspace. Our strength resides in our resilience and
    on our willingness to succeed in austere, dynamic, and challenging
    environments. Our readiness focuses on delivering lifesaving care,
    whether on the battlefield or within our own communities. We train to
    successfully operate in field hospitals with limited supplies, pushing
    the limits of our capabilities to stretch our problem solving
    abilities. The Air Force Medical Service can successfully function, in
    fact, excel, on any cargo aircraft available to move our service
    members to higher levels of care. Air Force medics ensure combatant
    commanders have a medically ready and fit force. With the launch of our
    newest military branch, the U.S. Space Force, Air Force medics are also
    responsible for maintaining the readiness for Guardians operating the
    nation's space capabilities. We embrace these unique physical and
    psychological demands of Space mission sets and are planning for the
    future demands of space medicine requirements.
        My responsibility to provide the best prepared medical force has
    not been dampened by the challenges of the ongoing pandemic, in fact,
    it has proved the resilience and flexibility of our Airmen. This
    pandemic tested our capabilities; we faced many challenges, but at the
    core of our success was our medics. Their training, commitment, and
    dedication to service provided a resource our nation depends upon.
                  air force medical service covid-19 response
        Over this past year, our medics have been put on the front lines
    like never before, to combat a new enemy, one that struck in our own
    backyards and bases around the globe. The pandemic brought military
    medical capacity and capability to the tip of the spear in our nation's
    response in combating COVID. Our medical Airmen from nearly every
    specialty and position have been working tirelessly alongside our
    sister services and civilian partners to conquer this disease. We have
    deployed to the hardest hit areas of our country to support overrun
    civilian hospitals. In the midst of these challenges, our Airmen have
    continued to innovate and respond to my call for disruptive innovation.
    One example is the Negatively Pressurized Containment unit. During the
    2014 Ebola epidemic, it became clear the Department of Defense needed a
    way to safely transport multiple patients within the same airframe who
    were suffering from a highly infectious disease. Four months from when
    the need was identified, the transport isolation system was introduced
    and ready for patient movement. It is easily transported on existing
    cargo aircraft, including the C-130 and the C-17 and provides a
    contained area for medics to care for these patients. While we trained
    to execute this system, it never saw an operational mission until the
    COVID-19 pandemic. The first operational mission for this isolation
    system took place on April 10, 2020, when three COVID-19 positive
    patients were transported from Afghanistan to Ramstein Air Base,
    Germany.
        While the mission was a success, the rapid rise of COVID-19 case
    numbers required us to move larger numbers of patients at one time.
    This was a challenge, but our Airmen partnered with teams across the
    Air Force, Department of Defense, and civilian industry, under the
    direction of the Program Executive Office for Agile Combat Support, to
    develop and procure an innovative solution. In less than 100 days, a
    new isolation system, the Negatively Pressurized Conex, was launched.
    This innovation rapidly went from an idea to a solution, and on July 1,
    2020, Airmen successfully transported 12 COVID-19 patients on a C-17.
    As of February 25, 2021, we have completed 39 missions and moved 216
    COVID-19 patients in this system.
        Our Air Force medics also provided the nation with innovative
    solutions to solve bed space and personnel shortages. When COVID-19
    epicenters in New York, California, North Dakota, and Texas were
    experiencing bed space shortages, our team went to work developing
    solutions and designed four COVID Theater Hospitals, consisting of more
    than 200 beds, to provide the support the communities were desperately
    seeking. As cases surged, it soon became apparent that these solutions
    would not accomplish the immediate needs of our civilian partners, so
    we quickly tailored a better solution. We broke our theater hospitals
    into smaller critical care strike teams and embedded them directly into
    civilian facilities to augment their capabilities. Nearly 800 Air Force
    medics were deployed into civilian facilities to work alongside their
    civilian counterparts. Most recently, we deployed an additional 1,000
    Air Force medics to 11 vaccination sites in 10 states to administer
    COVID-19 vaccines. As of April 6, 2021, we have successfully
    administered more than 678,162 vaccines.
                       delivering care to our warfighters
        While the nation's attention shifted to combating COVID-19, the Air
    Force Medical Service never took the eye off of the ball in supporting
    the operational demands of the Air and Space Force missions. Our medics
    hold the sacred responsibility for treating service members so they can
    complete the mission and return home safely. We have continued to
    bolster our existing capabilities.
        Currently, we are halfway through a five-year rollout of a new
    initiative to embed base Operational Support Teams at all Department of
    the Air Force installations. The Operational Support Teams consist of a
    clinical psychologist, social worker, physical therapist, exercise
    physiologist, and a team leader who are all focused on improving
    operational performance of our Airmen. The team will provide direct
    unit-level medical engagement outside of Air Force military treatment
    facilities. This is accomplished by enhancing both physical and
    psychological resiliency, as well as employing military occupational
    injury prevention techniques. These teams will temporarily embed into
    high-risk squadrons and begin to build and foster trusting
    relationships, conduct unit-focused needs assessments, provide
    interventions, and conduct consultations. The overall goal of this
    initiative is to address unit-specific health concerns before they have
    a chance to negatively impact Airmen, Guardians, or the mission.
                  keeping medical airmen ready to deliver care
        The readiness of my medics is my number one priority. The primary
    readiness platform for medical skills are our military treatment
    facilities. However, some of our treatment facilities do not have the
    patient volume, diversity, and acuity Air Force medics require to have
    a current skill set. To address this gap, I have developed several
    partnerships and training agreements with civilian organizations. In
    the past year, we continued to grow these opportunities with our most
    recent partnership--the University of Nebraska Medical Center. In 2019,
    we started our newest C-STARS-Omaha program with a primary focus on
    disease containment. This site focuses on the care of highly infectious
    disease patients. Our Air Force medics, working alongside their
    civilian counterparts, were able to treat some of the first COVID-19
    patients utilizing the university's biocontainment unit. On March 1st
    of this year, we launched the inaugural course on principles of
    biocontainment care, covering topics on recognition, diagnosis and
    management of highly-infectious disease, infection prevention and
    control principles, and safe donning and doffing personal protective
    equipment. This course will pay huge dividends for future pandemic
    events.
        In addition to establishing civilian partnerships to maintain
    currency, we are also developing an internal training program called
    Medic-X. This program is designed to expand medical support skills in
    mass casualty scenarios where patient load overwhelms medical
    capabilities. This approach fundamentally changes what defines an ``Air
    Force Medic,'' extending response capabilities to all Air Force Medical
    Service skillsets and ranks, including non-clinical careers such as,
    pharmacists, lab officers, medical administrators, and medical
    logisticians. We have identified 58 specific skills aimed at equipping
    non-clinical Airmen with the ability to respond in the event of a mass-
    casualty event. A beta test of non-clinical personnel was conducted in
    May 2020 at 10 different locations with a 96.5% success rate of
    comprehension, retention and execution of these skills. We plan on
    rolling out the Medic-X program in phases with the goal of full
    integration into all of our bases by 2025.
       commitment to military health system transition and transformation
        Despite challenges posed by implementing the changes outlined in
    section 702 of the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act and COVID-
    19, we remain dedicated to the smooth transition of the delivery of the
    health benefit, and associated functions and personnel to the Defense
    Health Agency, so I can focus on my responsibility of delivering
    medically-ready Airmen and Guardians and ready medical Airmen. The Air
    Force Medical Service has been engaged with the Defense Health Agency
    to help them formalize processes, mitigate risks, and address
    challenges. We have provided a detailed framework that identified all
    functions and personnel required to stand up DHA's functional
    capabilities. We also worked with DHA to identify ways to standardize
    these services across all military treatment facilities. Despite a
    temporary pause in transition activities due to COVID-19, the Air Force
    Medical Service continues to provide the necessary transition support,
    providing requested resources and manpower needed to maintain specific
    functional capabilities at military treatment facilities. This direct
    support is expected to end on October 1, 2021.
        As our Air Force Military Treatment Facilities continue to
    transition to the authority, direction, and control of the Defense
    Health Agency, we also implemented an Air Force Medical Reform Model to
    align with the Air Force's Strategic Plan to enhance readiness,
    increase lethality, and utilize cost-effective modernization. Resource-
    neutral changes in structure were applied to focus and improve the
    deployability of the forces. Under this new model, we reconfigured and
    launched two new squadrons with distinct missions. The first squadron,
    the Operational Medical Readiness Squadron, focuses on the health of
    Airmen and Guardians, and the second squadron, the Healthcare
    Operations Squadron, focuses on delivering care to all other
    beneficiaries. Analysis to date, has shown a decrease in the duration
    of Mobility Restriction by 6.6 days, an increase in Individual Medical
    Readiness by 1.1% and a decrease in Non-Deployable, All Reasons status
    by 2.3%.
                         new frontiers and new domains
        Our readiness posture has equipped us to swiftly and effectively
    respond to COVID-19 while maintaining the demands of our mission. We
    now need to be ready for a more dynamic and demanding battlefield,
    forcing us to push the boundaries of our capabilities even further Our
    future ground medical forces and equipment must be more agile, lighter,
    leaner, and more autonomous when considering logistical support may be
    limited. Wherever our Airmen and Guardians go, Air Force medics must
    follow.
        As mentioned earlier, the U.S. Space Force is now a year old. Space
    Force medical support focuses on addressing the occupational challenges
    that emerge while operating unmanned satellites. As the demands of the
    Space Force increase, so will the necessary medical support to keep
    those members fit for duty.
        The Arctic region's increasingly strategic importance, along with
    the Department of Defense's significant regional investment, requires a
    deliberate and forward-thinking approach to ensuring the U.S. can
    compete and protect the nation's interests in the region. This means
    leading the development and establishment of the Air Force Medical
    Service's capability to provide medical care in this environment. In
    support of the Department of the Air Force Strategy, on my direction,
    the Air Combat Command Surgeon, in collaboration with the Air Force
    Medical Readiness Agency conducted a Capabilities-Based Assessment
    focused on identifying capability gaps and requirements necessary to
    operate and sustain medical operations in extreme cold environments,
    called Below Zero Medicine. We convened two Below Zero Medicine
    Summits, made up of diverse groups of subject matter experts, to
    support the establishment of a Medical Pilot Unit and a Cold Weather
    Region Center of Excellence (Medical) at Joint Base Elmendorf-
    Richardson. This initiative is focused on identifying and implementing
    innovative ways to bring the hospital to the patient in any
    environment.
        The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has consumed much of the nation's
    attention, bringing with it unprecedented and unpredictable challenges.
    It forced our medics to adapt at breakneck speeds and face an unknown
    enemy, and they did just that. They worked to keep themselves safe, to
    protect the mission and continue to save lives. While many may see a
    group of military medics working against insurmountable odds, I see
    military medics putting their training into action. I see the
    deployment of agile, resilient and capable medics equipped with what
    they need to face the unknown. This is what we train for--we remain
    ready so we can fight tonight. This mentality must remain in focus as
    we evolve to face the next major threat.
        I am honored to serve as the Surgeon General for both the Air Force
    and Space Force and to work alongside the talented leadership in both
    Services, our Army and Navy partners, and the DHA as we continue to
    battle COVID-19 and transform the Military Health System. Most
    importantly, I am honored to work for our medics who are at the
    frontlines whenever and wherever they are needed. Thank you to the
    Subcommittee for your continued support of our remarkable Air Force
    medics and the health of our Airmen, Guardians, Soldiers, Sailors and
    Marines.

        Senator Tester. Thank you, General Hogg, and we appreciate
    your support to the services and wish you well in retirement
    when that time comes.
        Admiral Gillingham.
    STATEMENT OF REAR ADMIRAL BRUCE L. GILLINGHAM, SURGEON
                GENERAL, DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY
        Admiral Gillingham. Chairman Tester, Vice Chairman Shelby,
    distinguished members of the subcommittee, it is my privilege
    to update you on Navy Medicine. I am grateful for your
    continued leadership and support as we execute our medical
    readiness mission in support of the United States Navy, United
    States Marine Corps, world's premier Naval Force.
        Last year has been like no other in our lifetimes as we
    confronted a deadly adversary, the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the
    disease it causes, COVID-19. The battle continues today.
        Navy Medicine's operational tempo remains high as we
    protect the readiness and health of our sailors, marines, and
    their families, along with making direct contributions to the
    whole-of-Nation pandemic response.
        To date, we have deployed over 6,000 active and reserve
    component medical personnel in support of operational COVID-19
    missions. I want to assure you that despite these unprecedented
    challenges, the One Navy Medicine team remains relevant, ready,
    and responsive.
        We continue to be guided by our strategic priorities:
    people, platforms, performance, and power. Well-trained people
    working as cohesive teams on optimized platforms, demonstrating
    high-value, high-velocity performance that will project medical
    power in support of naval superiority.
        With the earliest identification of the SARS-CoV-2 virus,
    it was evident that we were battling an adversary whose
    behavior is highly unpredictable, particularly with respect to
    its asymptomatic transmission. While all of us in military
    medicine are trained to respond to medical emergencies, we
    quickly recognized that protecting our personnel in this public
    health crisis along with maintaining operational effectiveness
    would be our primary mission.
        Actions and intervention by experts across Navy Medicine
    during early stages directly impacted our ability to better
    understand the virus, mitigate and contain its spread,
    effectively support ongoing fleet operations, and preserve Navy
    and Marine Corps readiness out forward.
        We rapidly applied lessons learned from the early outbreaks
    on board USS Theodore Roosevelt and USS Kidd and continually
    incorporated the latest critical information from the Centers
    for Disease Control and Prevention as well as Navy Medicine,
    public health, and R&D experts.
        Navy leadership quickly operationalized this guidance for
    the fleet in the form of standard operational guidance, and
    this is currently in its fourth update. This direction
    incorporates the most up-to-date scientific and public health
    information, to include testing, restriction of movement,
    isolation, quarantine, physical distancing, face coverings,
    contact tracing, and now vaccinations. Importantly, our sailors
    and marines have demonstrated tremendous personal
    responsibility, resilience, and adaptability in responding to
    the pandemic.
        Their work in concert with strong commitment from our
    operational leaders has been instrumental in allowing our ships
    and personnel to stay mission capable, despite the pandemic.
        Our highest priority remains ensuring that all Department
    of Navy personnel have access to the vaccine in order to
    protect themselves, their shipmates, their families, and their
    community. As the Navy Surgeon General, I have been clear in my
    guidance that these vaccines are for the most effective
    protection against this deadly virus.
        The bottom line is that we are getting shots in arms and
    providing our personnel with what I refer to as ``biological
    body armor.'' To date, Navy sites have administrated over
    three-quarters of a million vaccines, and over 50 percent of
    our sailors and marines have now received at least one vaccine
    dose.
        Navy Medicine continues to answer the call to help our
    Nation. Navy and Marine Corps personnel are now currently
    deployed around the country to assist with vaccine
    administration in community vaccination centers.
        I recently had an opportunity to see firsthand the
    significant impact they are making in the lives of our fellow
    citizens affected by the virus.
        Navy Medicine's COVID-19 response is marked by grit,
    resolve, and an unbreakable spirit. While battling the pandemic
    remains a primary line of effort, we remain fully engaged in
    all aspects of our mission of improving readiness and enhancing
    operational capabilities to increase warfighters'
    survivability.
        My written testimony provides you details on many of these
    important initiatives that directly support physical and mental
    well-being of our sailors, marines, and their families.
        In summary, the Nation depends upon our unique
    expeditionary medical expertise to support our Naval Forces.
    The Navy Medicine team, some 63,000-strong, is privileged to be
    entrusted with these responsibilities.
        Again, thank you for your leadership, and I look forward to
    your questions.
        [The statement follows:]
             Prepared Statement of Rear Admiral Bruce L. Gillingham
        Chairman Tester, Vice Chairman Shelby, distinguished Members of the
    Subcommittee, it is my privilege to update you on Navy Medicine. The
    last year has been like no other in our lifetimes as we confronted a
    deadly adversary, the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the disease it causes,
    COVID-19. The battle continues today. Throughout this global pandemic,
    the operational tempo of Navy Medicine remains high, as we protect the
    readiness and health of our Sailors, Marines and their families, along
    with making direct contributions to the whole of Nation response to
    help our fellow citizens in need. I want to assure you that despite
    these unprecedented challenges, the One Navy Medicine team remains
    relevant, ready and responsive. I am grateful for your continued
    leadership, support, and confidence as we execute our medical readiness
    mission in support of the United States Navy and United States Marine
    Corps, the world's premier Naval Force.
                  aligning strategy, priorities and resources
        Foundational to Navy Medicine's mission effectiveness is full
    synchronization with the strategic direction articulated by the Chief
    of Naval Operations and Commandant of the Marine Corps in their seminal
    documents CNO Navigation Plan 2021 and the Commandant's Planning
    Guidance 2019, respectively. This guidance, along with the Tri-Service
    Maritime Strategy (2020), details the way forward in meeting current
    and future challenges posed by a dramatically changing international
    security environment. We in Navy Medicine recognize that our lines of
    effort must be vectored to support these strategic imperatives. Our
    four priorities--People, Platforms, Performance and Power--ensure
    important readiness linkages to our Marines and Sailors: Well-trained
    People, working as cohesive teams on optimized Platforms, demonstrating
    high value Performance that will project medical Power in support of
    Naval Superiority.
        To help ensure that we execute these critical priorities, I have
    added additional analytical rigor and alignment to our strategic
    planning process through a series of directive-type memoranda for our
    key program investments. Each must align with one or more of the Navy
    Medicine priorities. This process is critical as we shape our decision
    making; including, guiding our resource allocations, assessing
    organizational capacity and capability, and assessing performance.
    Overall, I am encouraged that these priorities are taking hold at all
    levels within Navy Medicine. Our personnel recognize that Navy Medicine
    is a team sport; and as such, everyone, collectively and individually,
    is performing an impactful role in contributing to mission success.
        In FY2021, additional Defense Health Program (DHP) resources were
    realigned to the Department of the Navy (DON) to support medical
    readiness activities which occur outside of military medical treatment
    facilities (MTFs). These resources are important to DON's efforts to
    execute non-MTF responsibilities in direct support of medical
    readiness. We are grateful for the financial resources provided in the
    FY2021 Defense Appropriations Act, as well as the supplemental funding
    that was provided last year in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. I
    want to assure you that inherent in our business practices is the
    application of sound fiscal stewardship of to the resources entrusted
    to us.
                      responding to the covid-19 pandemic
        With the earliest identification of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, it was
    evident that we were battling an adversary whose behavior was highly
    unpredictable. While all of us in military medicine are trained to
    respond to medical emergencies and crises, we quickly recognized that
    protecting our personnel in this public health emergency, along with
    maintaining operational effectiveness, would be our primary mission.
    Actions and interventions by experts from the Navy Medicine Public
    Health and Research and Development enterprises during the early
    stages, directly impacted Navy Medicine's ability to better understand
    the virus's behavior, mitigate/contain the virus spread, effectively
    support ongoing Fleet operations, and preserve Navy and Marine Corps
    readiness. To illustrate, using state-of-the-art technologies and
    research-use only assays for COVID-19, personnel from the Navy Medical
    Research Center deployed to USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT (CVN-71) providing
    the first COVID-19 detection onboard a Navy ship, and filling a
    critical gap in COVID-19 in the Fleet prior to the Food and Drug
    Administration (FDA) issuing Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for
    COVID-19 diagnostic devices available onboard ships.
        This work continued as we learned how to deal with the virus from
    the early outbreaks on THEORDORE ROOSEVELT and USS KIDD (DD-661),
    particularly regarding its asymptomatic transmission. Rapidly applying
    lessons learned from these ships and continually incorporating the
    latest critical information from the Centers for Disease Control and
    Prevention (CDC) and Navy Medicine experts, Navy leadership quickly
    operationalized this guidance for the Fleet in the Standardized
    Operational Guidance (SOG), currently in its fourth update. SOG
    incorporates the most current scientific and public health information
    to include testing, restriction of movement, insolation/quarantine,
    physical distancing, face coverings, contact tracing, and vaccinations.
    This direction is critical for both individual and unit health
    protection and is impactful in preserving operational readiness while
    protecting shipmates, installation and communities from COVID-19
    transmission. Our Sailors have demonstrated tremendous personal
    responsibility, resilience and adaptability in responding to the
    pandemic. More than a year from the onset of the initial outbreak, the
    SOG, along with other key lines of efforts throughout the Navy, have
    been instrumental in allowing our ships and personnel to stay mission
    capable despite the pandemic.
        In an effort to gain more insight into SARS-CoV-2 virus, Navy
    Medicine conducted two important studies, both of which were published
    in the New England Journal of Medicine on November 11, 2020: (1) An
    Outbreak of COVID-19 on an Aircraft Carrier analyzed epidemiological
    data from the outbreak of SARS-Cov-2 onboard THEORDORE ROOSEVELT in
    order to understand the transmission and impact of SARS-CoV-2 on the
    crew. This work provides a better understanding of the behavior of the
    virus shipboard and supports the development of updated guidance for
    the Fleet to mitigate future outbreaks. (2) SARS-CoV-2 Transmission
    among Marine Recruits during Quarantine reports on the COVID-19 Health
    Action Response for Marines (CHARM) which took place at Marine Corps
    Recruit Depot Parris Island and examined asymptomatic and symptomatic
    transmission in a young adult population. A follow-on study with the
    initial Marine volunteers, CHARM 2.0, is currently underway. This
    research is important for Naval Forces but also reaffirms our
    commitment to widely contribute to further the understanding of the
    SARS-CoV-2 virus both nationally and internationally.
        An important epicenter for actionable information is our Navy
    Medicine Scientific Panel, comprised of Navy Medicine scientists,
    clinicians and public health experts. They advise leadership and work
    directly with operational medical personnel to facilitate rapid
    consultation and enable high velocity learning with respect to COVID-
    19. In addition, their work is reflected in the widely disseminated
    Navy Medicine Weekly COVID-19 Public Health Report that provides
    current and timely scientific, clinical and surveillance updates.
        In addition to Navy Medicine's work efforts in support of Navy and
    Marine Corps unique requirements, collaboration with the DoD COVID-19
    Task Force, the Joint Staff, the Defense Logistics Agency, the DHA, the
    other Services, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
    (USUHS), interagency partners, and many others have been important to
    the pandemic response. This work provides the needed coordination,
    standardization, and unity of effort in critical areas impacting all
    the Services including diagnostics and testing, therapeutics, contact
    tracing, personal protective equipment, COVID-19 convalescent plasma,
    vaccinations, logistics, technology and other key areas. Within the
    Military Health System (MHS), a compelling example of the synergy that
    comes from this collaboration across our clinical communities is
    reflected in the development and publication of the DoD COVID-19
    Practice Management Guide (version 7), an excellent resource that
    contains practice guidelines and studies for our providers.
        We also recognize the tremendous work by General Gustave Perna,
    United States Army, who led the federal response for accelerated
    development, manufacturing and distribution of vaccines. These efforts
    have resulted in the FDA issuing EUAs for three vaccines, and likely
    more to follow. Currently, our highest priority remains ensuring that
    all Sailors, Marines, and all DON personnel have access to the vaccine
    in order to protect themselves, their shipmates, their families and the
    community, consistent with the DoD prioritization schema. As the Navy
    Surgeon General, I have been clear in my guidance that inoculation with
    these vaccines, which is currently voluntary, is the most effective
    protection against this deadly virus.
        Navy Medicine continues to answer the call to help our fellow
    citizens through medical surge support and vaccination support. In the
    early stages of this public health emergency, at the request of the
    Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Navy deployed both hospital
    ships, USNS MERCY (TA-H 19) and USNS COMFORT (TA-H 20), as well as
    personnel assigned to our expeditionary medical facilities, to support
    overwhelmed civilian hospitals, clinics and skilled nursing facilities
    in several states. Applying lessons learned, Navy Medicine quickly
    developed new adaptive capabilities with smaller acute care teams and
    rapid rural response teams, which proved effective in augmenting staff
    at smaller hospitals in medically underserved locations including
    Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. Navy and Marine Corps personnel are now
    currently deployed to assist with vaccinations as part of the DoD
    Community Vaccination support. These personnel are administering
    vaccinations to fellow citizens in state-run, federally-funded
    community vaccination centers around the country. I had an opportunity
    to visit several of these teams and see firsthand the impact they are
    making in the lives of our fellow citizens most affected by the virus.
    To date, Navy Medicine has deployed over 6,000 active and reserve
    component personnel in support of operational COVID-19 missions.
                            projecting medical power
        Navy Medicine's COVID-19 response continues to project medical
    power. It is marked by grit, resolve and an unbreakable spirit. While
    battling the pandemic remains our primary line of effort, we remain
    fully engaged in all aspects of our mission; directly focused on
    improving our readiness and enhancing capabilities to increase
    survivability. These efforts include leveraging all dimensions of
    people, platforms, performance, and, power.
        People: Recognizing that our dedicated and diverse workforce is our
    greatest strength, Navy Medicine published its Human Capital Strategy
    (2020--2025). This strategic framework provides a pathway to help
    ensure that our Force, active and reserve component personnel and Navy
    civilians, is structured to meet the requirements of evolving
    operational demands. It also requires us to optimize and align our
    talent management efforts placing right people in the right place with
    the right training at the right time.
        Overall manning in each of active and reserve component officer
    Corps (Medical, Dental, Medical Service and Nurse) remains good;
    however, we continue to focus on shortfalls in critical wartime and
    readiness specialties to ensure we can meet our operational
    requirements in support of the National Defense Strategy. This emphasis
    is important given the need to assess and realign our uniformed
    personnel requirements and platforms to better support medical
    capabilities of the Naval Forces with the transition to Distributed
    Maritime Operations (DMO) and Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations
    (EABO). We are also prioritizing the need to increase mental health
    specialists assigned to the Fleet and Fleet Marine Force, and to
    quickly provide full spectrum force health protection in response to
    public health emergencies.
        We must invest in recruiting, training and retaining our personnel.
    Continued accession and retention incentives are critical to the
    success of these efforts. Student accession programs are vital,
    considering Navy relies on USUHS and the Health Professions Scholarship
    Program for the vast majority of new Medical Corps accessions each
    year. Thank you for your continued assistance in this area, including
    the authorities contained in the FY2021 National Defense Authorization
    Act (NDAA) for increased special and incentive pays for officers in the
    health professionals.
        For the Hospital Corps, manning for active and reserve component is
    at 99 percent and 95 percent, respectively. Similarly, efforts are
    targeted to shortfalls in critical wartime specialty Navy Enlisted
    Classifications (NECs), including Independent Duty Corpsmen (surface,
    submarine, dive and Fleet Marine Force reconnaissance). These highly
    trained independent providers are vital to delivering expeditionary
    medical support to Naval Forces operating forward. To this end, we
    launched a campaign to highlight the professionally rewarding
    opportunities in these challenging NECs and expanded the eligibility
    pool for qualified candidates. We also increased retention bonuses. In
    addition, USUHS approved the Independent Duty Corpsmen curricula for
    incorporation in their College of Allied Health Sciences which will
    allow these Sailors to earn college credits.
        Navy Medicine civilians, a highly skilled workforce of
    approximately 11,500 professionals, are essential to our mission. They
    can be found throughout our world-wide enterprise delivering essential
    health care services--clinical care, research and development, public
    health and disease surveillance, logistics, and administration and much
    more. In addition to providing mentorship and training to our military
    personnel, they also provide much needed continuity in our facilities.
    We recognize that we face formidable competition with the private
    sector in attracting talented, highly qualified candidates, and we must
    work to recruit and expeditiously onboard these personnel. Expanded
    direct hire authorities provided in 2020 increased the number of
    specialties from nine to 27. Currently almost 55 percent of our
    civilian workforce is covered under these authorities which allows use
    of additional flexibilities for hard-to-fill health care positions.
    Again, we appreciate your support in helping us recruit the best and
    brightest. To date, Navy Medicine has transferred 40 Navy civilians to
    the DHA under transfer of function provision. We anticipate 150
    additional employees will transition later this year.
        Our priority is to have ready and confident personnel, with the
    knowledge, skills and abilities gained by experience and high velocity
    learning. The Navy Medicine Training and Education enterprise is
    critical to preparing our personnel for their warfighting mission. In
    spite of challenges posed by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, Navy Medicine
    maintained these capabilities and developed innovative solutions to
    mitigate interruptions, delays, and cancellations. Training commands,
    staff education and training departments, and operational training
    sites maximized use of virtual learning platforms, medical modeling and
    simulation, partnerships, cross-training, and blended learning to
    sustain ready medical forces. In 2020, we graduated 2,905 Hospital
    Corpsmen from basic ``A'' school and 1,235 students from advanced ``C''
    schools, while 1,252 Hospital Corpsmen completed Field Medical
    Battalion Training. Directly supporting our maritime readiness, experts
    from the Navy Medical Modeling and Simulation Training program
    developed a mock shipboard training environment onboard the Medical
    Education Training Campus (METC). To date, over, 2,075 students have
    been trained in shipboard medical emergencies and mass casualty
    exercises utilizing this realistic operational training environment.
        In addition, our nationally recognized graduate medical and health
    education programs are critical to Navy Medicine. I refer to this
    robust training as Navy Medicine's ``industrial base'' since they are
    foundational to sustaining our pipelines to generate a proficient and
    combat credible medical force.
        Our partnerships with leading trauma and academic medical centers
    are essential in helping our providers get the trauma volume,
    complexity and experience to maintain competencies to save lives at sea
    and on the battlefield. We continue to leverage our existing
    collaborative agreements with the James H. Stroger Jr. Hospital in
    Chicago, Illinois; the University of Florida Health Shands Hospital in
    Jacksonville, Florida; and the University Hospital Cleveland in
    Cleveland, Ohio. Earlier this year, we established a new partnership
    with WakeMed Hospital, a Level I trauma center in Raleigh, North
    Carolina, while continuing to support a relationship with the Cleveland
    Clinic to provide skills sustainment specifically for Independent Duty
    Corpsmen. Pre-deployment training for our teams continues at the Navy
    Trauma Training Center at Los Angeles County + University of Southern
    California. In addition, we are working closely with the University of
    Pennsylvania Health System in establishing a military-civilian
    partnership for trauma skills sustainment.
        Inclusion and diversity are important components to a mission-ready
    Navy. Diverse, high performing teams provide us power, advantage and
    unity. We are a stronger Navy because of our differences as we draw on
    the diverse culture, skills and perspectives of our shipmates. All of
    us recognize that we have more to do. These efforts must be
    consistently demonstrated through our behaviors and a commitment to
    achieving a Culture of Excellence grounded in our Navy Core Values of
    Honor, Courage and Commitment.
        Platforms: Navy Medical personnel remain forward deployed with the
    Fleet and Fleet Marine Force. They are engaged in all warfare domains
    with the focus of keeping our Sailors and Marines ready and healthy to
    perform their demanding missions. To be effective, they must have
    optimized platforms and capabilities to deliver the full range of
    medical support, including combat casualty care at sea, rapid public
    health response, humanitarian assistance/disaster response, as well as
    Defense Support of Civilian Authorities missions.
        To meet the demands of sustained operations at sea, Navy continues
    to develop new medical capabilities as well as to re-shape current
    capabilities to operate throughout the range of military operations. We
    recognize that Naval Expeditionary Health Service Support in the DMO
    environment requires modular and scalable capabilities able to provide
    theater hospitalization and forward resuscitative care, ashore and
    afloat. Additionally, we are focused on improved patient movement and
    enroute care capabilities, along with more dispersed holding
    capabilities to maximize survivability. An important priority currently
    in development is fielding a Role 2 Enhanced medical payload for the
    Expeditionary Fast Transport (T-EPF) Flight II, hull 14 currently under
    construction. Progress continues in support of our overarching
    deployable medical systems strategy with the direction and resource
    sponsorship of the Navy's Medical Systems Integration and Combat
    Survivability Office and in close collaboration with the United States
    Marine Corps.
        It is also important to note that MTFs serve as important readiness
    training platforms. Within the MTFs, as well as through other
    partnerships, our providers get needed readiness-centric medical cases
    to keep their skills sharp and stay ready to deploy. Accordingly, our
    Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Commands (NMRTCs) provide the
    critical command and control for Navy Medicine personnel and ensure,
    through the Readiness Performance Plans, that our men and women have
    the clinical and operational currency and competency to support
    operational platforms such as hospital ships and expeditionary medical
    facilities. We work to ensure that we man, train and equip our
    personnel for current and future operations. These efforts continue to
    be impactful during the deployments of personnel from the MTFs in
    support of the COVID-19 medical and vaccine response. Furthermore, our
    overseas facilities function not only as vehicles for health care
    delivery, but more importantly as in-theatre pre-positioned medical
    capabilities that are critical components of Combatant Commanders'
    operational plans.
        Performance: Navy Medicine's success is measured by those we serve,
    our Sailors and Marines. All of us recognize that it is necessary to
    ensure we provide well-trained personnel serving on agile platforms
    with the proper equipment sets; however, we also recognize that it is
    not sufficient. We must complement these efforts with relentless
    pursuit of applying the principles of a high reliability organization
    in all our actions, particularly in the operational forces. High
    velocity learning, rapid cycle feedback, and applying lessons learned
    are the underpinnings of our collaborative work to improve clinical
    outcomes and patient safety. Drawing on our high reliability successes
    in MTFs, we are rapidly moving to fully operationalize these tenets to
    improve warfighter readiness and increase survivability including the
    establishment of six operationally-focused clinical communities: female
    force readiness; psychological health; neuromusculoskeletal;
    operational medicine; trauma; and, dental services. This priority is
    also clearly evident in the whole of Navy Medicine response to the
    pandemic as led by our network of chief medical officers and others to
    rapidly assimilate and disseminate relevant clinical and scientific
    information and best practices throughout the enterprise.
        It is critically important that our Sailors and Marines have access
    to mental health services, where and when they need them. Navy Medicine
    maintains a ``no wrong door'' approach to deliver prevention, early
    identification and evidence-based mental health treatment. Services are
    available world-wide in mental health specialty clinics, within primary
    care, at Navy and Marine Corps installation counseling centers, on the
    waterfront, and embedded within the Fleet and Fleet Marine Force to
    decrease stigma and ensure access to care for our Sailors, Marines, and
    their families. In 2020, embedded mental health (EMH) continued to
    expand with 35 percent active component mental health providers and 30
    percent of behavioral health technicians assigned to EMH billets. MH
    providers are permanently assigned to support aircraft carriers,
    submarine forces, amphibious assault and surface combatant ships, Naval
    Expeditionary Combat Command units, Marine Corps Ground Combat and
    Logistics Element units, and Navy and Marine Corps Special Operations.
        Navy Medicine supports operations and readiness, collaborating with
    stakeholders on enterprise-wide strategies to address EMH manning,
    laydown, and practices, Disaster Mental Health, resiliency, suicide
    prevention efforts, and expansion of Operational Virtual Mental Health.
    Navy Medicine adeptly responded to new challenges presented by the
    pandemic through proactive mental health guidance, surveillance, and
    outreach, as well as rapid transition to virtual mental health
    modalities in MTFs and EMH. Mental health assets deployed across the
    Fleet to support COVID-19 related missions and increased operational
    tempo. This support included deploying a Special Psychiatric Response
    Intervention Team (SPRINT) to THEODORE ROOSEVELT during the COVID-19
    outbreak. Navy Medicine continues to execute and expand the Caregiver
    Occupational Stress Control program to support psychological health and
    prevent burnout in Navy Medicine personnel, which may be particularly
    relevant during COVID-19.
        We remain acutely aware of the impact of traumatic brain injury
    (TBI) on our Sailors and Marines. Services are provided through a
    network of TBI clinics with a range of care levels, including Intrepid
    Spirit Centers at both Camp Lejeune and Camp Pendleton, and larger
    programs at Naval Medical Centers Portsmouth and San Diego providing
    scalable, multidisciplinary, evidenced-based TBI care with a high
    return to duty rate. Programs at Camp Lejeune and Naval Medical Center
    Portsmouth offer TBI evaluation and treatment tracks specifically
    targeted at tip-of-the-spear warfighters who are at greater risk for
    sustaining TBI.
        Supporting a medical ready force requires that we work diligently
    to improve the deployability of Sailors and Marines each and every day.
    Navy Medicine emphasizes the importance of completing a deployability
    assessment at every provider-based encounter. We also have made
    significant improvements to the management of our personnel on limited
    duty to include changing the assignment of limited duty from a fixed,
    prescriptive duration (180 days) to one that allows for the recommended
    recovery period to be determined by the specific medical condition for
    the service member. Navy Medicine is also refining algorithms within
    our information systems to better identify potential deployment
    limiting and temporary non-deployable conditions. All of us know that
    warfighting is inherently demanding and we need to do everything we can
    to support full recovery when a Sailor or Marine is injured or ill.
        Recognizing the unique health care needs of our female Sailors and
    Marines, we developed our comprehensive Navy Medicine Female Force
    Readiness Strategy. The focus is to organize and coordinate efforts to
    increase medical readiness, resiliency, and retention in the female
    force and to improve comprehensive care delivery. We are prioritizing
    efforts to increase patient education, improve access to care and
    striving to ensure front-line provider proficiencies specific to
    women's health. To this end, we launched a pilot program to embed a
    women's health provider within care settings closer to operational
    units to increase service women's ability to resolve health concerns
    and minimize time away from duty. The pilot is in place at two Fleet
    sites, Naval Station Norfolk and Naval Station Mayport, and both are
    yielding promising results. We also published the Deployment Readiness
    Education for Service Women Handbook, a digital women's health
    education resource for active duty Marines and Sailors.
        DON does not tolerate sexual assault. As part of Navy's Culture of
    Excellence, we continue to focus on developing and implementing
    prevention efforts while maintaining victim support and resiliency.
    Navy Medicine remains ready to respond to sexual assault by ensuring
    the availability of sexual assault medical forensic exams, ashore and
    afloat. We continue to provide responsive medical forensic care during
    the pandemic. Collaboratively, the Services sustained ongoing training
    by creating a virtual training platform for Sexual Assault Medical
    Forensic Examiner students to meet the requirements of the 80 hour
    multi-disciplinary course. These efforts helped ensure that we had the
    personnel trained to provide sexual assault care in both MTFs and
    operational settings. Despite COVID-19 restrictions, we trained 83 new
    medical forensic providers for total inventory of 167 serving across
    Navy Medicine platforms.
        Navy Medicine continues to support the fielding of MHS GENESIS,
    DoD's modernized electronic health record. This effort is essential to
    our work to drive standardization, improve patient safety and foster
    high reliability within the MHS. From 2017 through March 2021, MHS
    GENESIS has been deployed to nine Naval facilities in Washington and
    California. Lessons learned from the earlier MHS GENESIS deployments
    have been applied to current sites and we are seeing substantive
    improvements in both training and implementation. We are fully engaged
    in joint implementation and optimization efforts in the fielding of MHS
    GENESIS and will continue to work collaboratively with DHA and the
    other Services. Despite challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic,
    significant progress has been made with implementation and the MHS
    remains on track to complete MHS GENESIS deployment by 2024.
        Power: Navy Medicine's capability to project medical power is
    critical to increasing the survivability of Naval Forces, at sea and on
    the battlefield. Our contributions include providing the best combat
    casualty care along with rapidly addressing the threats that contribute
    to disease non-battle injuries. The global pandemic has demonstrated
    that we must be prepared to employ the full strength of our One Navy
    Medicine capabilities to protect the health of Sailors and Marines.
        Our Navy Medicine Research and Development enterprise continues to
    demonstrate that it is responsive to operational requirements and is
    capable of providing rapid solutions for the warfighter. Collectively,
    their expertise in unique Naval environments provide high-value, high-
    impact knowledge and materiel products as evidenced by the significant
    contributions in battling the SARS-CoV-2 virus, including diagnostic
    testing, genome sequencing of potential viral variants and
    countermeasures development.
        In addition, we conduct a range of research from basic research,
    applied research, advanced development, to testing and evaluation. Navy
    Medicine is engaged in work that directly supports Sailors and Marines,
    including advancing treatments of decompression sickness among diving
    and submarine personnel, providing research response to unexplained
    physiological events in tactical aircraft, and studying the impact of
    blast exposures on personnel. Due to the strategic location of labs,
    many projects involve infectious disease surveillance and international
    outbreak response enabling better understanding of global emerging
    health threats to military readiness.
        Our partnerships with nations on six continents, U.S. academia,
    non-profit organizations and the private sector, along with access to a
    global network of scientists, allow for research focused on keeping
    service members healthy and ready.
        Similarly, the Navy Marine Corps Public Health Center (NMCPHC) and
    its field activities continue to be on the vanguard of Navy's public
    health efforts in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Their impactful
    contributions are reflected in all aspects of our strategy of
    prevention, mitigation, and recovery. Contributions include deploying
    public health and preventive medicine expertise on COVID-19-related
    missions to developing science-driven and evidence-based publications
    such as the ``Playbook for Managing Coronavirus Disease 2019 in a
    Shipboard Operational Setting'' which details management of SARS-CoV-2
    outbreak with platform specific recommendations for sanitation,
    prevention and treatment. Their portfolio is broad and includes
    laboratory operations, environmental health, population health as well
    as preventive medicine. NMCPHC brings the unique and vast expertise
    that is sought after, and, more importantly, is valued by Navy and
    Marine Corps operational leaders.
        Global Health Engagement (GHE) remains a critical element of global
    stability and national security, particularly in support of security
    cooperation by strengthening strategic partnership and alliances. Given
    its importance, GHE represents another important line of effort in
    support of projecting medical power. Our health security cooperation
    officers and global health specialists are working in support of
    Combatant Commanders, Navy Component Commanders as well as interagency
    and international partners. In addition, Navy GHE improves readiness,
    builds resiliency and provides competencies of our Navy Medicine
    personnel and prepares them to address an increasingly complex and
    interconnected world where health threats do not respect borders.
        Given that our Naval Forces are operating forward around the world,
    we must continue to leverage the inherent power of Naval Virtual
    Health, applying technology to provide care and clinical consultations,
    without the constraints of time and distance. Our response to the
    COVID-19 pandemic served to accelerate our efforts as Navy Medicine
    used virtual health services, both operationally and in-garrison, to
    continue to support the operational readiness of Sailors and Marines
    during a time when access to face-to-face care diminished, and movement
    limitations impacted our personnel. We saw significant increases in
    virtual health visits in many areas, but most notably in mental health.
    This trend is very encouraging and signals that we are able to maintain
    important access to care for our patients, particularly given the
    stressors brought about by the pandemic. We are also working to expand
    virtual health reach in important readiness areas including periodic
    health assessments, deployment-related assessments, suitability
    screening and others. A key complement to our virtual health priorities
    is Navy Medicine's enterprise-level efforts to advance and integrate
    data and data analytics throughout our decision making processes
    through capabilities such as machine learning, robotic process
    automation and metrics dashboards.
                                 moving forward
        We continue the important work of MHS transformation. While the
    COVID-19 response necessitated an extended pause for many of these
    efforts, we have returned to planning and implementing the relevant
    Congressionally-directed reforms. Military Medicine's response to the
    pandemic provides us a meaningful organizational stress test to assess
    our capabilities and progress, essentially identifying what's working
    well, along with highlighting areas that need attention. Critical self-
    assessment and applying lessons learned derived from rapid cycle
    feedback are important as we build a high reliability organization.
        Within the DON, our leadership recognizes the tremendous
    opportunity we have to refocus our efforts on medical readiness while
    transitioning health care benefit administration and management to the
    DHA, including direction and control of the MTFs. Properly executed,
    this construct will provide important opportunities to increase
    standardization, eliminate redundancies and favorably impact safety,
    quality and access within the MHS. In addition, it affords the DON
    capacity to focus exclusively on medical readiness and its unique
    responsibilities to provide a trained and ready medical force capable
    of operating in the maritime domain to meet their missions of Naval and
    Joint Forces.
        To this end, our work continues to address the smooth transition of
    MTFs to the DHA as well as the key mission and functions of our NMRTCs
    in providing critical command and control structures for Navy Medicine
    personnel to meet Navy and Marine Corps missions. NMRTCs, at the local
    MTF level, will facilitate and reinforce the mutually supportive
    relationship between Navy Medicine and the DHA. Our goal remains to
    build an integrated system of readiness and health. While there is much
    work ahead, I see tremendous potential for military medicine to be a
    national model for health care high reliability and integration.
        All of us in Navy Medicine understand the important
    responsibilities placed on us by the Nation to care for our Sailors and
    Marines who go in harm's way. Again, thank you for your support.

        Senator Tester. Thank you, Admiral, and thank you all for
    your testimony.
        We are going to start with 5-minute rounds of questions.
        Dr. Adirim, in your testimony, you talked about a $1.8
    billion shortfall, $1 billion with TRICARE, $800 million with
    military shortfall. Do these shortfalls impact the delivery of
    service of care to our servicemembers, retirees, or their
    families?
        Dr. Adirim. Senator, our first priority is our healthcare
    to our troops and to their family members. That will never
    suffer any decrement whatsoever. That is our first priority.
        And those numbers that I cited are projections that we are
    making. Currently, we have about $673 million in costs that
    were not expected due to the COVID response, but we project
    that it will be over $1.8 billion.
        Senator Tester. Okay. And so what are your plans to address
    these shortfalls? Does Congress need to step up?
        Dr. Adirim. The Department is not planning to ask for a
    supplemental. We are looking to other programs within the DHP
    (Defense Health Program), such as sustainment, modernization
    funding. We will have to postpone facilities maintenance. We
    are looking for things like that, and we will likely have to
    look to the Department as well to fill these shortfalls.
        Senator Tester. So you are going to fill these shortfalls
    with transfers within the Department of Defense?
        Dr. Adirim. We are currently now looking at how we can
    mitigate the shortfalls in any way that we can. It is a
    challenge.
        Senator Tester. Okay. I may come back to another question
    on that in a bit.
        I want to talk about TRICARE. I am going to stay with you,
    Dr. Adirim. Can you tell me what impact the recent
    implementation of enrollment fees for TRICARE Select is having
    on the number of beneficiaries enrolled?
        Dr. Adirim. Sure. I am not aware that there has been an
    impact due to any historical increase in fees. I can get you
    more precise information for the record if that is what you
    want, but I am not aware that there has been a decrement in our
    enrollment due to the fees.
        Senator Tester. So you are not seeing a decline in
    enrollment in TRICARE?
        Dr. Adirim. Senator, I think I would like to take that for
    the record so we can get you a more precise answer.
        [The information follows:]
             effect of new enrollment fees on tricare participation
        The overall decrease in TRICARE Select enrollments from December,
    2018 to April, 2021 for Retirees and their family members who are not
    Medicare eligible and the corresponding increase in the number not
    enrolled in a TRICARE plan may be attributable to the statutory
    requirement that most Group A Retirees and family members pay TRICARE
    Select enrollment fees beginning January 1, 2021 and the availability
    of other health insurance (OHI) options to some of these beneficiaries.
        There is certainly a correlation between implementation of
    enrollment fees and changes in the number of enrolled beneficiaries but
    an exact causation is more difficult to predict. If fees were not paid
    by early February, 2021, their existing TRICARE Select coverage was
    terminated for failure to pay enrollment fees, as required by statute.
    About 139,000 (15.9 percent) remaining Group A retirees and family
    members have until June 30, 2021 to request reinstatement of their
    TRICARE Select coverage if they desire to stay in TRICARE for the 2021
    calendar year.
      --Select Enrollment for Retiree & their family members who are not
            Medicare eligible fell by about 160,000 (18 percent) between
            December 2020 and March 2021, then went up by 10,000 in the
            April 2021 data. It is inferred that the increase in the April
            2021 data was a result of beneficiaries paying fees and
            enrolling following the failure to pay notifications.
      --Aside from the differences between the Select and Prime
            populations, one could conclude that other insurance options
            are available and there may be other reasons for enrollments
            (i.e. Medicare eligibility, change of address) to change over
            time. As an example, Prime Enrollment for Retiree and their
            family members who are not Medicare eligible dropped 18,000 (1
            percent) between December 2020 and March 2021, then decreased
            another 3,500 from March to April.

        Senator Tester. Okay. That would be good.
        In 2018, when the Military Health System was first
    beginning to implement reforms, we saw increases in TRICARE
    copays for specialty care, and this includes physical therapy
    and mental health, two treatments that are very common in
    military and veteran communities. Can you speak to the impact
    these increased copays have had on utilization of physical
    therapy and mental healthcare treatments under TRICARE?
        Dr. Adirim. Sure. And again, Senator, I am not aware that
    there has been an impact on utilization of those services due
    to the copays, and I am happy to take that back too and get you
    a more precise answer. We can compare years for you.
        [The information follows:]
     effect of higher copays on demand and accessibility of mental health
                                    services
        With our data, we cannot estimate the impact that copay
    modifications had on the utilization of these therapies, as there are
    many factors which modify utilization rates.
        For all behavioral health we saw increases in utilization in all
    years 2018-2020 for all beneficiary categories, though the rise in
    utilization was smaller for Retirees than Active Duty Family Members.
        For physical therapy, there were increases in utilization for ADFMs
    in 2018-2019. In 2020 we saw increases in Prime ADFMs, but a slight
    decrease in Select ADFMs. In 2018 there were decreases in Retiree
    utilization, a similar increase in 2019, and a small decrease in 2020.
        However, the data show that utilization of physical therapy for
    Prime Retirees fluctuated throughout 2011-2020, and not just the time
    period after implementation of NDAA 2017.

        Senator Tester. That would be good. I think it is
    critically important we know this. This is information that we
    need to know, and I will tell you why, because I am hearing
    about it on the ground in Montana. And if I am hearing about
    it, I am sure a lot of other Senators and Representatives are
    too.
        Dr. Adirim. Sure, Senator. I am happy to bring that back.
        Senator Tester. Okay. So considering the reforms that have
    taken place, not to beat this mule anymore, but considering all
    the reforms that have taken place for TRICARE beneficiaries
    over the last 3 years, do you believe this benefit has retained
    the same level of historical value?
        Dr. Adirim. Absolutely. I think it is a very rich benefit,
    especially when you compare it to the civilian sector. It is a
    uniform benefit. So all beneficiaries have access to the same
    benefit and menu of services that TRICARE offers.
        I believe that with the new T5 Request for Proposal coming
    out and that new contract, that we will see even more benefits
    for beneficiaries.
        Senator Tester. Okay. I want to go back to the shortfall,
    the $1.8 billion, and this is for the other folks who are here,
    the Surgeon Generals. Do you have any concerns about whether we
    are risking a shortfall? I mean, with this shortfall, that it
    is going to impact care to your troops?
        Go ahead, General Dingle. We will just go down the line
    here.
        General Dingle. I will start it off, Chairman Tester.
        So, as the Army looks at the operational force, what we do
    in conjunction with the Defense Health Agency and the Defense
    Health Agency and OCD (Office of Civilian Defense) Health
    Affairs, we identify our readiness requirements up front.
        Right now, we do not have a shortfall, as we have worked
    through our readiness requirements as we identify those, but we
    will have to assess that as the fiscal year continues on.
        Senator Tester. But the answer right now is no?
        General Dingle. Correct. Yes, sir.
        Senator Tester. Okay. General Hogg?
        General Hogg. Yes. So, along the same lines, Chairman,
    medical readiness of our force is paramount and number one, and
    so everything that we do will be directed toward that. At this
    point, yes, no shortfall.
        I do, however, have a concern that as we move forward, if
    there is a shortfall, how that is going to get covered.
        Senator Tester. Yep, I gotcha.
        Admiral Gillingham.
        Admiral Gillingham. Yes. Thank you, sir.
        Like my colleagues, I think this is something that we will
    watch carefully and continue to work internally. At present, I
    do not see a threat to our medical readiness, and as always, we
    will make sure that we provide most effective and high-quality
    care we can to our beneficiaries.
        Senator Tester. Appreciate that.
        Senator Shelby.
        Senator Shelby. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        Dr. Adirim and General Dingle, I will direct the first
    questions to you, both of you. As I noted in my statement, this
    committee continues to invest in medical research without
    regard to other similar Federal investments, it seems to me, at
    NIH, and maybe NIH is doing things you are doing better. I do
    not know that.
        Can you answer the question that I posed in my opening
    remarks, which is this?: What specifically are Defense medical
    research dollars doing that NIH funding cannot or is not doing?
    I think that is an important question.
        Dr. Adirim. Senator Shelby, I will start with this
    question, and I think that is a very good question.
        We focus our research priorities within the Department on
    the warfighter and on the needs of the Joint Force and on those
    conditions which may greatly impact our troops.
        We work very closely with the NIH and other agencies,
    coordinate very closely on research so that----
        Senator Shelby. What do you mean by working closely? Is
    that collaborative working together----
        Dr. Adirim. Yes. Yes, we do.
        Senator Shelby [continuing]. On specific things? Name some
    of them.
        Dr. Adirim. Sure. So, for example, for something like
    suicide and mental health, there is collaborative research that
    we work with NINDS (National Institute of Neurological
    Disorders and Stroke), have annual meetings on the research
    that comes out of both departments. The work groups work
    together to ensure that the research that is being done and
    sponsored by each department or together, because sometimes
    these research proposals come out of both departments are
    aligned to the requirements of our force.
        Senator Shelby. Ma'am, I realize, and I think we all do,
    that the military has certain needs that the general population
    does not need, but the military at the same time probably needs
    all of the needs and all the things that the general population
    in addition to the military specific things. Is that a fair
    statement?
        Dr. Adirim. Sure. Yes, sir.
        Senator Shelby. So name your top three research areas that
    you are doing through the military research.
        Dr. Adirim. Sure. I am going to turn it over to my
    colleague, General Dingle.
        Senator Shelby. Okay. General.
        General Dingle. Vice Chair Shelby, one of the things, to
    tag on to what Dr. Adirim was saying, the thing that the
    military also brings, as it takes the National Defense
    Strategy, the DOD guidance, and our service guidances, the
    focus is on the survivability of the soldiers.
        Senator Shelby. Absolutely.
        General Dingle. So prolonged real care in combat
    operations, trauma care, the latest technologies that we get
    from the civilian sector or in NIH, but taking those civilian
    technologies, medical technologies, it takes that military
    service research and development to incorporate it into
    tomorrow's battlefield on how it is going to be incorporated in
    a multidomain environment. And I think that is one of the key
    things that we bring from the military as we couple with the
    civilian sector, academia, and the industry.
        Senator Shelby. Okay. In the area that we all see a lot of,
    that is, improvised explosive devices dealing with our military
    that is a traumatic thing. We see it with our soldiers and
    everywhere. Is there any connection between our efforts to
    detect and prevent that and the treatment of the victims, our
    soldiers, after they have sustained huge blasts?
        General Dingle. Yes, sir. And that is one of the beauties
    of what the Chief of Staff of the Army set up with our Army
    Futures Command, because it takes that prevention mode and the
    detection to get ahead of that blast, but then even if that
    blast happens, occurs, that is when the medical research and
    development piece comes in and we are studying those blast
    injuries and how to conserve and save lives.
        So the short answer, yes, we are doing those preventive
    measures. It is all being done under Army Futures Command in
    which medical is incorporated across all of the cross-
    functional teams.
        Senator Shelby. Is there any correlation in research
    dealing with, say, trauma medicine, emergency medicine,
    domestically, civilian, and what the soldiers--you know, the
    soldiers are shot at. They are shelled. They step on mines.
    They do this, a lot of the civilians are shot at too much in
    the country, but I guess, the treatment of wounds, is there
    correlated research there, Doctor?
        Dr. Adirim. Yes. And I am an emergency physician, and there
    is a number of research that has come out of the military that
    has----
        Senator Shelby. Absolutely.
        Dr. Adirim [continuing]. Greatly benefited the civilian
    sector. I mean, I can name the REBOA, which is a device that is
    used in trauma. There is fresh frozen plasma, which is
    currently being used for battlefield, which will have civilian
    applicability. So, yes, you are exactly right. A lot of what we
    do within the Department of Defense, especially around trauma
    research, is applicable to the civilian sector.
        Senator Shelby. In the area of warfighter, our soldiers,
    sailors, and marines, Air Force readiness and their health, is
    there research going on between the military research and the
    NIH research regarding with the health of our people, the
    health of our soldiers? Of course, the soldiers are probably--
    not probably--are exposed to a lot different environments than
    the average American is.
        Dr. Adirim. Well, Senator, as you alluded to, there are
    multiple domains of research that we do in coordination and
    collaboration with the NIH and a lot of which has applicability
    to the civilian sector and to the American people at large.
        Senator Shelby. Admiral Gillingham, I want to shift to the
    ambulance ship, transport ship.
        The Navy recently issued a $235 million contract
    modification to construct a multipurpose Expeditionary Fast
    Transport ship. Can you talk about Navy Medicine adapting to
    Distributed Maritime Operations and specifically how the
    Expeditionary Fast Transport ship and ambulance ship will add
    value to those operations?
        Admiral Gillingham. Yes, sir. Thank you for this
    opportunity.
        We are enormously excited about what is known as the EPF
    Flight II, which is the vessel that was previously known as the
    Joint High Speed Vessel, designed initially as a logistics
    ship.
        In reviewing medical concept of operations for the
    Distributed Maritime Operations and Expeditionary Advanced Base
    Operations in support of the Marine Corps, recognized that we
    had a gap in the ability to respond quickly and much more
    quickly than we can with our Role 3 platform, the T-AH, or the
    hospital ship.
        So the ambulance ship, as envisioned, will allow us to
    respond to ships in distress, ships that may have been damaged
    in combat, be able to assist in personnel recovery.
        Senator Shelby. It also gives you a lot of mobility on the
    water, does it not?
        Admiral Gillingham. Yes, sir. The speed is--it is a
    catamaran, bi-hull catamaran. It moves very quickly. It will
    allow an Osprey aircraft to land for medevac purposes. It will
    allow us--as envisioned and as being built and adapted with
    that additional funding, it will have an operating room that
    will accommodating two operating room tables, a room for 18 ICU
    beds, a medical-enhanced Role 3 medical staff of about 100
    personnel.
        We see this as filling a critical gap in the DMO (Defense
    MilPay Office) environment.
        Senator Shelby. Would you say this--fairly say this is a
    high priority for Naval Medicine?
        Admiral Gillingham. Yes, sir. It very much is.
        Senator Shelby. Thank you.
        Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        Senator Tester. Thank you, Senator Shelby.
        We have Senator Baldwin virtually.
        Senator Baldwin. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        Dr. Adirim, how many cases of COVID-19 has the military
    seen this year and in 2020? And I also would like to hear the
    breakdown of the number of military personnel who have been
    hospitalized or who have passed away from COVID-19 since we
    first identified that threat.
        Dr. Adirim. Sure. Thank you for that question. I do not
    have the precise numbers, and we can get those to you. But what
    I can say is having looked at our percent positivity and
    following the hospitalizations, it is much less than in the
    civilian sector, which is what you would expect for a younger,
    healthier population.
        Currently, right now, we are seeing a test positivity rate
    of about 4.4 percent, and it is 6 percent out in--nationally.
    So we have a lower case rate than we see out in the civilian
    sector, and we have lower hospitalization rates as well.
        But I will get you those precise numbers for the record.
        [The information follows:]

     statistics on covid-19 infections/hospitalizations/deaths within the
                               tricare population

    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                  All beneficiaries                         Active duty
                                       -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                       Private                                Private
                                        Direct Care  Sector Care     Total     Direct Care  Sector Care     Total
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    All COVID+........................      220,377      257,464      477,841      133,866       33,370      171,807
    Hospital admissions...............        5,171       37,941       43,112          948          750        1,698
    Deceased..........................          262       10,018       10,280            7           37           44
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

        Senator Baldwin. I will appreciate that.
        How many anthrax cases has the military seen over the same
    period of time?
        Dr. Adirim. Ma'am, I am not aware of anthrax cases.
        Senator Baldwin. Okay. Are you aware of potential anthrax
    exposure incidents that the military has experienced in the
    last year or the last 5 or 10 years?
        Dr. Adirim. Ma'am, I would not have that information. I can
    ask one of my Surgeon General colleagues if they might know the
    answer to that.
        Senator Baldwin. Does anyone have any information about
    anthrax exposure or cases in the last decade?
        General Dingle. Senator, This is Lieutenant General Dingle.
        We do not have that information on us. However, we do have
    a very detailed Environmental Health Surveillance Registry,
    which that information is documented in. We would have to take
    that for record to come back to you to provide you those
    details.
        [The information follows:]
      statistics on anthrax infections/hospitalizations/deaths within the
                               tricare population
        The military has not had any cases of anthrax this year and in
    2020. There were a number of laboratory-based exposures in 2015 where
    individuals were treated with antibiotics and vaccinations. While there
    have been limited cases of potential anthrax exposure due to naturally
    occurring disease or laboratory incidents, the DoD maintains the
    requirement for anthrax vaccination in our personnel to counter the
    threat of the use of anthrax as warfare agent, to include use in
    bioterrorism. The advancement of biotechnology only increases this
    risk, and this is a validated threat for both DoD and the larger U.S.
    Government.

        Senator Baldwin. Okay. Does the Department of Defense plan
    to continue procuring anthrax vaccines moving forward, and if
    so, how many?
        Dr. Adirim. Senator, the anthrax is still considered a
    threat to our forces. Other governmental agencies as well has
    determined that anthrax is a threat. So to answer your
    question, it is yes. We do plan to protect our forces from
    those threats.
        Senator Baldwin. Okay. I think you can get a sense of the
    point that I am trying to make. There has been a lot of concern
    over vaccine declination rates for COVID-19 vaccines. There has
    also been a long history of concern over compulsory
    vaccinations, including for anthrax, beginning in the--towards
    the end of the 1990s. I would like to hear details on how the
    DOD has increased voluntary participation in vaccines in the
    past, and how does the Department approach making decisions
    about whether vaccinations should be compulsory for our
    servicemembers?
        Dr. Adirim. Right. Thank you for that question.
        And I can talk about COVID because we are doing a lot with
    regard to helping our servicemembers make their decisions about
    taking the vaccine.
        As you know, under EUA (Emergency Use Authorization), the
    vaccine is voluntary, and we are using every avenue possible to
    provide information, social media, and town halls. We have MTF
    physicians available to answer questions. We do Facebook live
    sessions. We put information on websites in order to provide
    accurate information about the vaccine, and as you alluded to,
    we do not have a perfect acceptance rate.
        We do not know what the declination rate is, really,
    because we only just yesterday opened up vaccination to all
    eligible beneficiaries. But we do track this, and we are very
    interested in helping our servicemembers and other
    beneficiaries make the decision to get vaccinated.
        Senator Baldwin. Dr. Adirim, you stated in your testimony
    that the greatest proximate challenge to our Nation's security
    is the threat of COVID-19, and I asked about anthrax because I
    am concerned that our spending priorities are not aligned with
    both current and emerging threats.
        We have known that a pandemic based on a novel virus, that
    it would attack the respiratory system, could cripple our
    country, and yet we did not purchase PPE (Personal Protective
    Equipment), and we did not reassure manufacturing of critical
    medical supplies or vaccines, yet 2020 saw one of the largest
    purchases of anthrax vaccines, a threat that to my knowledge
    has not been included in annual worldwide threat assessments or
    highlighted in testimony to the Congress in many years.
        And from 2015 through 2020, we spent about $1 billion on
    anthrax vaccines, even though many experts, including Dr.
    Fauci, have suggested that the best approach towards anthrax is
    antimicrobial therapy.
        I understand the continued need to monitor this thread, but
    it does seem to me like we have prioritized the requirement for
    this vaccine at the expense of preparing to protect our
    servicemembers and families against things like global
    pandemics. So I am looking forward to following up on my line
    of questioning.
        Thank you.
        Senator Tester. Thank you, Senator Baldwin.
        I only have one request, and then we will close this
    hearing out. And it is for Dr. Adirim. I would like to have you
    get to me and the committee, the research that is being done in
    respiratory ailments as it applies to burn pits, and I would
    ask that you be specific on the respiratory ailments that you
    are looking at. It is a big, big, big issue that has got some
    legs, this Congress, as far as providing benefits to our
    veterans.
        [The information follows:]
                    health issues associated with burn pits
        The Department of Defense (DoD) and the Department of Veterans
    Affairs (VA) have funded many research studies related to the possible
    respiratory effects of airborne hazards in theater, including burn pit
    exposure. Many studies have been published on the relationship between
    exposure to airborne hazards and respiratory conditions, including:
    respiratory symptoms (chronic cough, dyspnea (shortness of breath), and
    wheezing); asthma; COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, that
    is, chronic bronchitis and emphysema); constrictive bronchiolitis; and
    several other lung diseases, such as sarcoidosis. DoD is currently
    funding human health studies on the relationship between burn pit
    exposure and the following conditions: respiratory symptoms; asthma;
    chronic bronchitis; constrictive bronchiolitis; and several other lung
    and cardiovascular diseases. VA is currently performing a long-term
    mortality study of veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and
    Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), which will evaluate the death rates
    due to several types of lung diseases and several types of cancer. The
    National Academy of Sciences (NAS) is a nationally recognized
    organization that is independent of the Federal Government. The NAS
    published a comprehensive 270 page report in September 2020, entitled
    ``Respiratory Health Effects of Airborne Hazards Exposures in the
    Southwest Asia Theater of Military Operations.'' The NAS reviewed
    hundreds of health studies related to airborne hazards in theater,
    including studies funded by DoD, VA, and non-Federal sources. The NAS
    report evaluated the scientific evidence on 27 respiratory health
    outcomes, including all the diseases mentioned previously. The NAS
    report concluded there was limited evidence that there is an
    association (relationship) between exposure to airborne hazards in OIF/
    OEF and respiratory symptoms of chronic persistent cough, shortness of
    breath, and wheezing. DoD and VA are continuing to fund multiple human
    health studies to develop more definitive evidence on the relationship
    of exposure to airborne hazards in theater and long-term health
    effects.

                         ADDITIONAL COMMITTEE QUESTIONS

        Senator Tester. I want to thank Senator Shelby and Senator
    Baldwin for their questions today. I want to thank you for your
    testimony today. The witnesses know that Senators may submit
    additional written questions, and we ask you to respond to them
    within a reasonable time.
        [The following questions were not asked at the hearing, but
    were submitted to the Department for response subsequent to the
    hearing:]
                    Questions Submitted to Dr. Terry Adirim
                Questions Submitted by Senator Richard J. Durbin
        Question. This Subcommittee has long prioritized life-saving
    medical research--it improves our military edge, protects our service
    members and their families, and produces real, tangible benefits for
    all Americans.
        As the Defense Health Agency works toward a larger role in defense
    medical research, how do you plan to ensure that the effort continues
    to prove its value?
        Answer. DHA recognizes the long history of Research, Development
    and Acquisition (RDA) accomplishments made within DoD. DHA seeks to
    continue that history with support to the vital DoD research enterprise
    in advancing the delivery of capabilities to the warfighter and
    beneficiaries through support to elements such as the Congressionally
    Directed Medical Research Program that fosters synergy with academia,
    industry and other Federal agencies and continued support to CONUS and
    OCONUS DoD laboratories. As DHA takes on a larger role in the defense
    biomedical research enterprise, metrics will be captured that will
    demonstrate the value of a consolidated enterprise medical research
    organization.
        Question. Over the years, DoD has leveraged civilian partnerships
    to stretch limited dollars wisely and maximize research efforts, direct
    care, and military readiness. For example, DoD has successfully
    partnered with academic institutions on trauma training, through
    engagement on various programs as well as even assigning military
    medical personnel to civilian trauma centers. And in fiscal year 2019,
    Congress created a new pilot program to treat members of the Armed
    Forces for psychological conditions--such as PTSD--stemming from
    military sexual trauma, with the idea being that DoD should partner
    with civilian institutions for this effort. As we know, sexual assault
    can be a significant source of trauma stress for service members and
    their families. And while service members can and do receive adequate
    care within the Department, it is to DoD's advantage to have outside
    treatment options available to accommodate service members, where
    public stigma has too long been a barrier to care. However, I have been
    disappointed that in implementation of this new pilot, for which
    Congress has appropriated $9 million between fiscal year 2019 and
    fiscal year 2021, DoD has yet to choose a civilian academic medical
    center to participate.
        Please elaborate on the benefits of civilian partnerships within
    the defense health program and provide some examples.
        Answer. The defense health program (DHP) engages in civilian
    partnerships to address emerging needs that are not able to be met by
    existing government capacities. Civilian partnerships are most valuable
    when they provide expertise and/or programmatic capability that the
    government cannot feasibly or efficiently deliver in the timeline
    needed. Several examples are noteworthy. In 2010 the DHP funded and
    established the Military Suicide Research Consortium (MSRC). The MSRC
    leverages civilian scientific expertise as well as DoD capabilities to
    study the causes and prevention of suicide. Suicide etiology and
    prevention are complex scientific fields with substantial research gaps
    that cannot entirely be met by existing internal defense health program
    efforts. The military's Alcohol and Substance Abuse Disorder Research
    Program (ASADRP) expedites the identification of therapeutic compounds
    for the treatment of alcohol and substance use disorders through the
    multidisciplinary expertise of researchers from both the DoD and the
    civilian sector, most notably the University of California San
    Francisco and the Research Triangle Institute. The Study to Assess Risk
    & Resilience in Service members Longitudinal Study (STARRS-LS) benefits
    from a broad DoD/civilian partnership to address behavioral health
    issues in the military. The STARRS-LS collaboration taps the diverse
    skills of investigators at numerous research institutions including
    Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, the University of
    California at San Diego, Harvard Medical School, and the University of
    Michigan. In addressing treatment needs associated with military sexual
    assault and sexual harassment, the VA/DoD Women's Health Working group
    has also engaged with civilian partners with subject matter expertise
    from the School of Medicine at the University of Colorado-Denver and
    the University of Washington.
        DoD outreach campaigns to support transitions and reduce stigma
    also significantly benefit from collaborative partnerships with
    academic, industry, and civilian organizations. For example, the
    inTransition program and the Real Warriors Campaign make dedicated
    efforts to engage and foster collaborative partnerships with the
    Elizabeth Dole Foundation, Washington Nationals Baseball, Sesame
    Workshop, Give an Hour, Army Wife Network, Operation Homefront, Emory
    University Healthcare Veterans Program, General Electric, George Mason
    University, the University of Texas, and the American Red Cross.
        If the government has the capability and expertise to complete the
    mission, external partnerships may not be warranted. Internally
    conducted government projects ensure that incentives are aligned with
    internal needs and priorities, with minimal financial or scientific
    biases. Sometimes, however, contributions from civilian partners can
    add knowledge, resources, scope, and efficiencies that DoD alone cannot
    offer. Ultimately, the choice whether or not to work with external
    partners is determined by the availability of expertise, the maturity
    of the scientific and programmatic field, and the timeline for
    delivery.
        Question. How has DoD used the appropriated funds for the
    implementation of the MST pilot, and how do you intend to use the
    fiscal year 2021 funds?
        Answer:
      --Healthcare Cost Impact: Actual healthcare costs are not available
            due to claims lag. Based on the current participation rate (43
            participants as of 4/30/21), it is projected that DoD will
            execute the full amount of $174,000. The pilot ends 8/31/21
            with last admission to the pilot program on 7/31/21.
      --Administrative Cost Impact: The total administrative cost as
            reflected in the definitization modifications of the contracts
            is $200,059. The contractor's proposal costs came in lower than
            the Independent Government Cost Estimate (IGCE), therefore,
            lower costs were negotiated.
      --Related tasks/adjustments: Based on the current participation rate,
            it is not expected that there will be higher enrollment as
            projected. Therefore, DoD cannot execute $297,000 for related
            tasks or adjustments as indicated in previous spend plans.
        Question. How does DoD plan to expand its civilian partnerships
    when it comes to the MST pilot, and will there be an opportunity for
    academic medical centers to participate?
        Answer. Section 702 of the NDAA for fiscal year 2019, authorized a
    pilot program to treat psychological sequelae associated with sexual
    assault to be accomplished through partnerships with public, private,
    and non-profit healthcare organizations and institutions. These
    partnership institutions must provide healthcare to TRICARE eligible
    members of the Armed Forces (including National Guard and Reserve). The
    pilot program is focused on treatment of Service members suffering from
    psychological health conditions associated with sexual assault
    including PTSD, substance misuse and depression. The pilot is designed
    to assess the feasibility and advisability of DoD-wide implementation
    of a DoD/civilian partnership model utilizing the IOP treatment format.
        All academic and private civilian intensive outpatient programs
    were eligible to participate in the pilot if they met TRICARE standards
    and were TRICARE certified (based on TRICARE Operations Manual chapter
    6010.59-M, Chapter 18, Section 8). Despite an open call for partners
    across civilian and academic medical centers, no academic medical
    centers applied for TRICARE certification.
        Civilian partner IOPs were selected in September 2020. To date,
    five TRICARE-certified intensive outpatient programs have enrolled in
    the pilot as well as two DoD intensive outpatient programs. All
    civilian partner IOPs have been engaged and are in active data
    collection.
        Enrollment numbers are in line with expectations overall, but the
    Humana sites have lower enrollment (Humana = 2, Healthnet = 41, DoD =
    133). PHCoE has engaged in several efforts to increase enrollment in
    civilian sites. PHCoE met with THP and Humana clinics to review
    implementation procedures and problem solve, DHA Communications was
    engaged to increase awareness of pilot among end users, and Humana has
    plans to pivot to 100 percent telehealth in an effort to mitigate
    travel concerns.
        Civilian Partner IOP programs include:
      --Oceans at Waco, TX
      --Oceans at Biloxi, MS
      --Help for Heroes at Denver Springs, CO
      --Strong Hope at Salt Lake Behavioral Health
      --Aurora Behavioral Health at San Diego
        Due to data collection being underway at all DoD sites and civilian
    partner sites, no additional sites are projected to be added to the
    pilot prior to its completion in August 2021.
        Question. I am pleased that the Defense Health Agency (DHA) chose
    the Army's Civilian Human Resources Agency (CHRA) as its provider of
    human resource support. I worked to ensure that CHRA, based at Rock
    Island Arsenal, was the primary office responsible for supporting DHA's
    human resource needs. I recognize that COVID placed a hold on hiring of
    many positions within the Department of Defense and, to date, only
    about 50 positions have been filled at Rock Island in support of the
    DHA contract.
         Can you detail for me when you expect the freeze on civilian
    hiring to be lifted?
        Answer. There has not been a freeze on civilian positions in the
    DHA. The DHA leverages all available human resource authorities to fill
    positions above the MTF level that include: Transfer of Functions,
    Management Directed Reassignments and competitive hiring since CHRA
    became the Human Resource Service Provider to the DHA.
        Question. Further, can you detail how many additional positions you
    expect CHRA to hire in order to support DHA requirements?
        Answer. The DHA has in excess of 450 civilian positions being
    actively recruited through CHRA. There are over 310 additional vacant
    positions available to the DHA for recruitment.
        Question. I understand the importance of the on-demand blood
    program and it's potential benefit to readiness and addressing critical
    supply challenges.
        Can you elaborate on the anticipated funding for the program this
    current fiscal year as well as into the FYDP?
        Answer. The total funding for this program is $110 million over 5
    years. To date the program has received $15 million (fiscal year 2019;
    Year 1) and another $12 million (fiscal year 2021, Year 2; pending
    award) this year for a total of $27 million.
        Question. Can we expect future budget requests to seek making this
    program a program of record within the Department of Defense? Why or
    why not?
        Answer. Currently the On-Demand Blood (ODB) program and its host,
    the USU-4D Bio3 Center for Biotechnology, are not Programs of Record
    and rely on annual budget funding prioritization. The ability to
    manufacture clean blood products near the point-of-need, even austere
    environments, could mitigate blood supply vulnerabilities not only for
    our warfighters deployed overseas but also for our Nation as reported
    in the 2020 HHS Report to Congress: Adequacy of the National Blood
    Supply (attachment). This report highlighted multiple challenges with
    sustaining the National Blood Supply that are particularly problematic
    during national emergencies such as the current COVID-19 Pandemic. With
    this program, we hope to mitigate the various National Blood Supply
    vulnerabilities by creating an alternate source of clean blood to
    traditional blood donation, not only for our Warfighters but also for
    the Nation and Global Health Community.
        Question. Has DoD done enough with interagency partners and the
    scientific community to address concerns? What type of interagency
    collaboration is occurring with this project?
        Answer. The USU-4D Bio3 ODB program consists of collaborations with
    the FDA, Harvard/Massachusetts General Hospital, as well as three
    industry partners. The program is also in partnership discussions with
    other Federal agencies, to include National Institutes of Health (NIH),
    Armed Service Blood Program (ASBP), Assistant Secretary for
    Preparedness Response (ASPR), Biomedical Advanced Research and
    Development Authority (BARDA), Federal Emergency Management Agency
    (FEMA), National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), National
    Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and the UK Ministry of
    Defense and Innovate UK.
        Question. Does the Department of Defense have plans to develop a
    demonstration of on-demand blood in a real world training scenario like
    any of the major training exercises in the Pacific?
        Answer. Yes, in conjunction with USU-4D Bio3's Fabrication in
    Austere Military Environments (FAME) Program, it is our goal to conduct
    demonstrations of the On-Demand Blood program's capabilities to
    fabricate blood in austere environments. Currently, we are also
    exploring development of autonomous means to provide blood in theater.
    The team is in discussions with leadership of the ASBP and individual
    COCOMS to determine a transitional training scenario for fiscal year
    2022/2023 as the bioreactor technology that fabricates the blood
    products will be ready for in-field testing/deployment at that time.
        Question. I am concerned that there has been significant decrease
    in DHP core neurosensory research especially in vision-ocular trauma
    intramural funding that decreased from fiscal year 2019 $5.8 million
    under the JPC-8 Army Medical Material Research Command (MMRC) in the
    core vision research funding to $1,000,000 for fiscal year 2020 and
    fiscal year 2021 with no further funding fiscal year 2022 to fiscal
    year 2025. This leaves military trauma ophthalmologists with no
    internal trauma research funding, despite wounded warrior research
    remaining a priority at DoD.
        Please provide the amounts that DHP has funded for core trauma
    research funding for sensory injuries, including vision and hearing,
    TBI, orthopedic, and spinal cord injury research for fiscal year 2021.
    What is projected for fiscal year 2022 for each?
        Answer.

                    Planned RDT&E Funding for Trauma Research
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                        Fiscal Year
                  Research Area              -------------------------------
                                                 2021 ($k)       2022 ($k)
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Vision..................................             $--             $--
    Hearing.................................         $10,538          $7,587
    TBI.....................................        $105,065         $47,272
    Orthopedic..............................         $19,641         $19,511
    Spinal Cord.............................          $4,272          $2,377
    Other (non-specified)...................         $71,107         $59,686
        Total...............................        $210,623        $136,433
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                     ______

                  Questions Submitted by Senator Patty Murray
        Question. As you know, the Department of Defense has a long
    standing need for agents to prevent disease and death caused by plague
    and botulinum toxin, with the Department of Homeland Security issuing a
    Material Threat Determination in 2004 for both of these diseases.
    However, funding for these two vaccines under the Joint Vaccine
    Acquisition Program (JVAP) were zeroed-out as a result of the fiscal
    year 2021 Defense-Wide Review despite significant previous financial
    investment and completion of both Phase 1 & 2 clinical trials. Why are
    these programs being cancelled without alternatives in place? Will the
    Department propose other avenues to ensure servicemembers are not at
    risk?
        Answer. While OASD(HA) supports the Warfighter and all DoD
    personnel for all health aspects, we would have to defer questions on
    the development of countermeasures against manmade threats such a
    plague and botulinum toxin to the Office of the Assistant Secretary of
    Defense for Nuclear, Chemical and Biological Defense Programs. OASD(HA)
    is a stakeholder within the Chemical and Biological Enterprise, but we
    do not have control over the resourcing and developmental decisions in
    this space.
                                     ______

                 Questions Submitted by Senator Jeanne Shaheen
        Question. The Biden Administration has reported that National
    Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) is examining the
    durability of the immune response and that the National Institutes of
    Health (NIH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and
    Department of Defense (DoD) are assessing whether vaccine-induced
    immunity, or natural immunity from prior infection, can be effective in
    combating COVID 19 emerging variants. T cell testing has been
    integrated into the United Kingdom COVID immune response assessment.
        What are your views on the need to measure immune response?
        Answer. The Department believes it critical to understand the
    immune responses to COVID vaccination (and wild-type disease) to
    establish a known correlate of protection. This will help improve
    diagnostics and vaccines and help drive the future efforts to combat
    this disease.
        Question. What role do you see for T cell mediated response being
    integrated into vaccine efficacy assessments at DoD?
        Answer. The Department supports further study of the T cell
    compartment, as various studies have shown differing results between
    the B cell and T cell compartments, to include distinct kinetics.
        Although T cell tests are not routinely used clinically, they do
    provide extremely valuable insight to ultimately determine efficacy of
    some vaccines. We are committed to continued collaboration/partnership
    of DoD with national efforts. An Uniformed Services University/
    Infectious Disease Clinical Research Program protocol proposal is just
    one example of that commitment.
                                     ______

                Questions Submitted by Senator Susan M. Collins
        Question. At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic last year, the
    nation saw a huge spike in demand for modular negative pressure room
    containment systems that can offer civilian hospitals or Military
    Treatment Facilities the capability to safely assess and treat patients
    with suspected COVID-19 symptoms. It is clear these commercial-off-the-
    shelf systems can help ensure the readiness of the defense health
    system worldwide, especially in the case of future pandemics or
    biological attacks. Section 732 of the recently enacted fiscal year
    2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) requires a report of the
    Department's pandemic preparedness. I was pleased that the Department
    has committed to ensuring that these modular negative air pressure room
    containment systems are included as part of that Pandemic Preparedness
    Report directed by the NDAA. Provisions unanimously approved in the
    Senate's fiscal year 2021 NDAA bill also required a specific review of
    these systems.
        Given the use of these systems in the civilian sector and in VA
    hospitals, what does the DoD believe to be the potential benefits of
    these systems?
        Answer. Although there is limited published literature that
    provides a comparative analysis of modular negative air pressure room
    systems to traditional structures, such systems have demonstrated value
    in specific situations and environments. Specifically, these systems
    are believed to create a negative pressure environment designed to
    contain airborne infectious pathogens with minimal assembly time and
    disruption to permanent facility structures. One unique system with
    demonstrated success is the USTRANSCOM/Air Mobility Command developed
    Negatively Pressurized CONEX and CONEX Light (NPC, NPCL), which allows
    the transport of critically ill patients with highly contagious
    diseases aboard pressurized, military cargo aircraft. The CDC
    highlights the fact that inadvertent exposure to airborne pathogens can
    result in significant morbidity and/or mortality and the American
    Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers
    (ASHRAE) has emphasized that disease outbreaks (i.e., epidemics and
    pandemics) are increasing in frequency and reach.
        Question. How could these types of systems be used by DoD in the
    future to help mitigate the spread of future pandemics or biological
    agents in the future?
        Answer. Understanding that some facilities and environments may not
    be conducive to construction of permanent fixtures, modular negative
    air pressure room systems have the potential to serve as an alternative
    solution for pathogen containment. Integration of such systems is most
    applicable in situations where facilities are at risk for operating
    beyond surge capacity (e.g., uniquely positioned OCONUS facilities) and
    therefore emergency preparedness should be directly aligned to each
    facility's risk assessment. ASHRAE supports such statements and
    emphasizes that, Mitigation of infectious aerosol dissemination should
    be a consideration in the design of all facilities, and in those
    identified as high-risk facilities the appropriate mitigation design
    should be incorporated.
        Given the unique mission of the DoD, integration of innovative
    solutions such as the NPC/NPCL is critical for effective emergency
    preparedness with broad-scale applicability, including protection of
    personnel from pathogens during humanitarian relief operations.
    Decision-making regarding any emergency preparedness strategy must
    consider the evolving nature of biologic threats and therefore
    integrate a multi-layered systems approach in collaboration with
    bioenvironmental engineering.
                                     ______

                 Questions Submitted by Senator Lisa Murkowski
        Question. A multitude of studies indicate that those who have
    served in the military are at a much greater risk of developing ALS
    (ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is a progressive
    neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the
    spinal cord) and dying from the disease than those who have no history
    of military service. I was pleased that $40 million in funding was
    provided to the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program
    (CDMRP) for peer-reviewed ALS research for fiscal year 2021. Support
    for this research has been a long-time priority of mine, and an issue
    that is near and dear to my heart.
        Do you believe enough research on ALS is being done through the
    DoD's Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program (PRMRP)?
        Answer. The annual appropriation for the Peer Reviewed Amyotrophic
    Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Research Program (ALSRP) has grown from $10
    million in fiscal year 2019 to $20 million in fiscal year 2020 to $40
    million in fiscal year 2021, totaling $149.4M since the program was
    established in 2007. With a focus of expediting the pipeline from bench
    science to new clinical therapeutics, historically, the ALSRP has
    offered awards in the areas of ``Therapeutic Development'' and
    ``Therapeutic Ideas,'' with maximum awards up to $1 million and $500k
    in fiscal year 2020 respectively. This has resulted in 84 awards made
    through fiscal year 2019 and currently 19 awards made against the
    fiscal year 2020 appropriation.
        The Therapeutic Development award mechanism supports post-discover
    validation and development of candidate therapeutic agents through the
    steps required prior to FDA approval as an Investigational New Drug
    (IND). The Therapeutic Idea award mechanism supports high risk/high
    reward hypothesis-driven therapeutic ideas in an early stage of
    development. In fiscal year 2020, a third category, ``Clinical
    Development'' was introduced with a maximum award of $300k. This
    category of award is designed to support leveraging of patient-based
    ALS resources to define subtypes, predict therapeutic responses,
    improve the value of ongoing clinical trials, and/or optimize the
    components of current ALS clinical care.
        Question. Do you anticipate that an increase in funding will be
    needed to continue research under the new realities that the pandemic
    has imposed on us?
        Answer. The cost of research is always increasing due to inflation.
    The ALSRP adjusts the number of awards made in order to fund
    scientifically and technically appropriate research that provides the
    greatest impact in support of the programmatic vision established by
    the Programmatic Panel as part of the five-step process for soliciting,
    reviewing, and funding research. As an example and as described in the
    question above, the increase to $20 million in fiscal year 2020 enabled
    a new award mechanism to be established.
                                     ______

                   Questions Submitted by Senator Jerry Moran
        Question. Dr. Adirim states in her written testimony that Joint VA/
    DoD Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs) have been formulated for
    provider use for all major clinical conditions in mental health.
    However, there are not any current CPGs available that address serious
    mental illness (SMI) and conditions such as bipolar disorder and
    schizophrenia. In Public Law 116-171 Sec. 304, Congress directed DoD
    and the Department of Veterans Affairs to work together to develop
    current CPGs that address these SMI conditions.
        Can the Department please provide an update on the establishment of
    the work group directed by Congress in this Act in order to begin the
    development of the SMI CPGs?
        Answer. The VA and DoD are collaborating on two new VA/DoD CPGs
    that address serious mental disorders, one for schizophrenia and the
    other for bipolar disorder. Both VA and DoD teams have secured working
    group members and are awaiting on final arrangement with the VA
    contractor to start the work. A new CPG usually takes anywhere from 12-
    18 months to complete.
        Question. Dr. Adirim, I continue to have concerns in regards to the
    high rate of suicide among our service members in the 1 year period
    post-transition. In your written statement, you mention that the
    Department and VA are currently working together to develop a
    Separation Health Assessment which will feature a Mental Health
    Assessment.
        Can you provide any more detail on what this Mental Health
    Assessment will include?
        Answer. The Mental Health Assessment (MHA) of the Separation Health
    Assessment (SHA) will have five components. These components are (1)
    The PC-PTSD-5, a screening instrument for PTSD; (2) The Patient Health
    Questionnaire (PHQ)-2, a screening instrument for depression; (3) The
    AUDIT-C, a screening instrument for alcohol use; (4) The Columbia
    Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) Screener, a screening instrument
    for suicide risk; and, (5), A 2 question screening instrument for
    violence risk.
        Question. Further, do you have an estimated timeline for when this
    assessment will be rolled out to service members?
        Answer. The Department anticipates that the SHA will be implemented
    in late 2022.
        Question. How will the DoD and VA share information to make certain
    recently-separated individuals receive the care they require?
        Answer. The DoD and VA will utilize the Electronic Health Record
    (EHR) to share information to make certain recently-separated
    individuals receive the care they require. Additionally the DoD's
    inTransition program and the VA's Military and Veterans Crisis line
    have integrated efforts to provide improved, comprehensive support for
    service members. The inTransition program works closely with the MVCL
    to connect callers with follow-up treatment after receiving crisis care
    at a military or civilian emergency department.
        Question. There is a somewhat long and complicated process for
    active duty service members in allied healthcare occupation specialties
    to receive approval and funding for professional credentialing
    opportunities. This leaves service members unable to translate their
    military training and experience into skills and qualifications
    required by private sector healthcare employers. As the COVID-19
    pandemic puts an increased burden on the healthcare workforce,
    improving the credentialing process seems like an easy way for DoD to
    assist in this space while helping thousands of service members
    transition to civilian life.
        Does the Department have a strategy to assist the service branches
    to fund and strengthen the credentialing process, such as through DHA's
    Education and Training Directorate?
        Answer. This question primarily concerns enlisted service members
    in the MHS, thus this answer focuses on the Medical Education and
    Training Campus (METC) and the work it does to both enhance the skills
    and education of our enlisted healthcare personnel while also assisting
    them in obtaining credentials that translate to the civilian sector
    upon separation or retirement. The METC offers 48 enlisted education
    and training programs and is accredited by the Council on Occupational
    Education (COE). METC's institutional accreditation qualifies
    individual programs to obtain specialized or programmatic
    accreditation. Both institutional and programmatic accreditation are
    prerequisite to students earning a certification, or a professional
    license.
        The METC has 14 accredited programs and five non-accredited
    programs that generate a student certification or license.
        In addition to maintaining institutional and programmatic
    accreditations, the METC is a branch campus of the College of Allied
    Health Sciences (CAHS) under the Uniformed Services University of
    Health Sciences (USU). The METC/CAHS branch campus is currently
    comprised of 15 enlisted training programs, all of which have Associate
    of Science in Health Sciences (ASHS) degree plans.
        Students attending programs that are part of the METC/CAHS branch
    campus receive a USU transcript with credit hours for successfully
    completed course work. Credit hours can be applied toward the programs'
    established degree plan, or transferred directly to the student's
    choice of school. All 48 enlisted medical education and training
    Programs have an avenue to receive college credit which can be
    transferred directly to colleges or universities, or applied to a
    bridge school program.
        The METC also partners with colleges and universities to offer
    Bridge Degree Programs. This program offers pathways to college degrees
    and certifications by giving credit for military education and
    articulating the credit into a career/college degree pathway.
    Currently, METC has 89 Bridge Degree Partners and over 1400 degree
    bridge pathways. This program saves both enlisted service members' and
    veterans' time and money, and makes the possibility of earning a
    college degree more attainable. Colleges and universities that wish to
    become a bridge partner express interest and then navigate a
    streamlined 8-step process that usually includes a campus tour,
    curriculum crosswalk, a question and answer session via email or other
    venues, a proposal of transfer credits, feedback from METC program
    directors, and acceptance of the proposal and bridge pathway that
    signifies an informal partnership. Degree bridge programs, plans, or
    pathways illustrate the courses military members must complete to earn
    a specific college degree after transfer credits have been authorized.
    Maintenance and expansion of these partnerships and pathways are vital
    to the well-being of veterans and their families and saves the DoD
    millions in education related costs. This program is at no-cost to the
    government and free to the service members receiving transferable
    credit. The only cost occurs when the service member attends the
    institution of choice to complete the remaining degree requirements as
    spelled out on the degree pathway.
                                     ______

                   Questions Submitted by Senator John Hoeven
        Question. To immunize our service members as well as the general
    population, we need to produce enough vaccines. This includes having
    enough domestic manufacturing capacity to effectively produce the key
    components of the vaccines. As you may be aware, Aldevron is a company
    based out of Fargo, North Dakota, that manufactures advanced biological
    materials such as those used in the COVID-19 vaccines. They have a
    history of working with Federal partners, and are uniquely fitted to
    meet our future vaccine materials needs. Aldevron has been in
    communication with the Defense Production Title III Office at the
    Department of Defense as well as with the Biomedical Advanced Research
    and Development Authority (BARDA) to discuss their manufacturing
    capabilities.
        Will you work with my staff to ensure that American manufacturing
    companies like Aldevron, which supply key starting materials for the
    production of medical countermeasures and vaccines, can be part of the
    solution as we continue to respond to COVID-19 and prepare for future
    pandemics?
        Answer. OASD(HA) is happy to work with your staff to look at ways
    to improve the readiness of our Forces, including scale up and access
    to pandemic vaccines. We also have a robust relationship with Health
    and Human Services including BARDA, and are happy to explore
    partnerships that enable the Department to increase the protection of
    our force where it is most needed.
        Question. I note from your testimony the work that you are doing
    with the Veterans Administration to develop a single separation health
    assessment for those leaving service. You mentioned that this would
    include a mental health assessment, which is an important component. In
    the past, we have taken steps to support our active duty force but left
    out our service members in the reserve components.
        Can you confirm whether this assessment would be available to
    members of the reserve component who are separating from service?
        Answer. Currently this assessment would be available to members of
    the Reserve Component (RC) who are separating from Service if they meet
    the eligibility requirements as specified in Section 1145(d) Physical
    Examinations for Certain Members of a Reserve Component, of Title 10.
        Question. Would you support providing a single separation health
    assessment, including a mental health assessment, to all members of the
    Selected Reserve, regardless of whether or not they have served 30 days
    in support of a contingency operation?
        Answer. We support evidence-based screenings and examinations based
    on known and potential risks experienced during military service and
    the individual's medical needs. The single separation health assessment
    under development includes a physical examination. For many short non-
    contingency operations a DD2697, ``Report of Medical Assessment'' or
    post-deployment health assessment and mental health assessment would be
    more appropriate and efficient for the Service member and DoD.
                                     ______

           Questions Submitted to Lieutenant General R. Scott Dingle
                Questions Submitted by Senator Richard J. Durbin
        Question. What are you doing on a regular basis to drive an anti-
    tobacco message throughout your Service? Are we making progress?
        Answer. The Army Surgeon General's role in promoting tobacco-free
    living and directing tobacco-free campuses creates momentum to
    transform Army culture. By providing a healthier, tobacco product- free
    environment and readily accessible services to help users quit, the
    Army will cultivate a resilient, effective, and battle-ready force.
        Revisions to Army policy, such as AR600-63, AR40-5, AR 600-85, to
    name a few, highlight and emphasize the responsibility of
    installations, commanders and supervisors to create a culture that
    encourages and reinforces tobacco-free living.
        Tobacco use has decreased by nearly 7.0 percent since 2013. As of
    2017 Army has a lower rates than the general population.
        Question. What is the impact that we are seeing on service members
    with the rise of tobacco alternatives such as e-cigarettes and vapes?
        Answer. Tobacco product use, including e-cigarettes and vapes are a
    threat to the readiness and the resilience of our Army. 7.2 percent of
    Soldiers now self-report use of E-cigarettes or vape pens. Soldiers who
    use e-cigarettes realize decreased performance during physical
    evaluation tests compared to those who do not use. Soldiers that smoke
    and vape do the poorest.
        Some Soldiers view e-cigarettes and vapes as a safer alternative to
    cigarettes. Army Public Health is actively engaged with the DoD tobacco
    education campaign, and is continuing to educate Soldiers on the
    negative effects of e-cigarettes and resources to quit.
        Question. What are you doing about the impact of tobacco on
    military children and family members? Are you reviewing whether these
    products should be sold in military exchanges or commissaries?
        Answer. My team is working with Army Installation Management
    Command, in support of a great effort called Healthy Army Communities.
    Healthy Army Communities is an effort to create an environment where
    the healthy choice is the easy choice. The tobacco free-living part of
    this initiative is to work with installation commanders to expand
    tobacco free zones to where children live and play on installations,
    which is aimed at raising our Army youth as non-tobacco users.
        Cigarettes used to be cheaper to buy on post than off post. One
    important effort with the reduction of tobacco use in our military was
    the DoD Tobacco Pricing Policy. Now, tobacco products sold on post must
    be the same price as off post. This is a big change for our Soldiers
    and literature demonstrates that price increase discourages tobacco use
    and increases quit rates.
                                     ______

                Questions Submitted by Senator Susan M. Collins
        Question. At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the nation saw
    a huge spike in demand for modular negative pressure room containment
    systems that can offer civilian hospitals or Military Treatment
    Facilities the capability to safely assess and treat patients with
    suspected COVID-19 symptoms.
        It is clear these commercial-off-the-shelf systems can help ensure
    the readiness of the defense health system worldwide, especially in the
    case of future pandemics or biological attacks.
        Section 732 of the recently enacted fiscal year 2021 National
    Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) requires a report of the Department's
    pandemic preparedness. I was pleased that the Department has committed
    to ensuring that these modular negative air pressure room containment
    systems are included as part of that Pandemic Preparedness Report
    directed by the NDAA. Provisions unanimously approved in the Senate's
    fiscal year 2021 NDAA bill also required a specific review of these
    systems.
        Given the use of these systems in the civilian sector and in VA
    hospitals, what does the Army believe to be the potential benefits of
    these systems?
        Answer. In accordance with NDAA 2017 and 2019, the Defense Health
    Agency assumed authority, direction, and control of DoD's CONUS medical
    treatment facilities (MTF) on 25 OCT 19 with the transfer of all MTFs
    and Service direct support to be complete by 30 SEP 21.
        The Defense Health Agency implemented 14 modular COVID-19 screening
    facilities in CONUS and another eight OCONUS. The eight units in Europe
    include negative pressure rooms and HEPA filtration. The units in the
    U.S. do not include negative pressure rooms.
        These modular facilities are used to screen patients before they
    enter the medical treatment facility. Modular, negative pressure room
    containment systems were not used for the treatment of Army COVID-19
    positive patients.
        Hospitals used existing patient isolation capabilities and modified
    rooms and HVAC systems to create isolation within their existing
    footprints. Portable, self-contained HEPA filtration systems were
    employed in some cases to create negative pressure in treatment spaces.
        For dental clinics, DHA created Expeditionary Dental Air Infectious
    Isolation Rooms (EDAIIR) for two dental chairs per clinic using
    commercial-off-the-shelf HEPA whisper flow fan units and zip wall
    barrier sheathing.
        Question. How could these types of systems be used by Army in the
    future to help mitigate the spread of future pandemics or biological
    agents in the future?
        Answer. From Army perspective, Military Health System can implement
    a range of methods to help mitigate the spread of infectious diseases
    within MTFs.
        Patient isolation, personal protective equipment, frequent
    cleaning, and personal hygiene all play a part.
        Modular systems are one method for temporarily creating anterooms,
    treatment spaces, and support spaces. These systems can be used to
    physically separate visitors from patients and staff, contagious
    patients from non-contagious patients, and pre-admit patients from the
    admitted patient population.
        Future implementation would be in DHA's decision space.
                                     ______

                 Questions Submitted by Senator Lisa Murkowski
        Question. Over the past year, the world has grappled with COVID,
    and mental health continues to be one of the least understood and most
    overlooked effects of the pandemic. Stress, fear, isolation, financial
    impacts and the loss of friends and family have contributed to the
    increase in anxiety and depressive disorder symptoms.
        Has the Department of Defense seen an increase in service member
    suicides over the past year?
        Answer. Army Medical Command vigorously supports Army G-1 efforts
    to assess the root cause of the Army suicide cluster.
        The Army is experiencing an increase of suicides coinciding with
    the COVID-19 pandemic.
        Preliminary analysis by Army Public Health Center indicates the
    suicide cluster among Regular Army is correlated with COVID's timeline,
    however causality is not currently known.
        Army Medicine provides Army Senior Leaders methods to mitigate
    clinical suicide risk through critical engagements with their troops
    and ensures critical information is provided to Commanders to support
    those with identified risk of suicide.
        Question. Have you seen an increase in the utilization of mental
    health and suicide prevention services that the Department offers?
        Answer. Early in the pandemic, BH service engagement by Army
    beneficiaries decreased.
        Army Medicine's adaption to pandemic healthcare environment
    beneficiaries re-engaged in virtual behavioral services with a peak
    utilization of 70 percent of services being conducted virtual
    environment in April of 2020.
        Social distancing policies are carefully lifted, the mix of in-
    person and virtual appointments are exceeding pre-pandemic levels and
    roughly 10 percent more unique beneficiaries are engaging in behavioral
    health services when compared to this time in 2019.
        In March 2021, greater than 38K beneficiaries sought behavioral
    health services, which represents 33 percent increase from the same
    time in 2019.
        Innovations in the virtual space developed from necessity are
    affording Army Medicine increased flexibility to provide services to
    patients in their home.
        Army Medicine, in partnership with DHA, will continue to
    aggressively pursue and capitalize upon advancements in virtual
    behavioral health services as an enduring positive outcome of the
    global pandemic.
                                     ______

            Questions Submitted to Rear Admiral Bruce L. Gillingham
                Questions Submitted by Senator Richard J. Durbin
        Question. I remain a very concerned about curbing the use of
    tobacco in the military. We know that smoking makes it harder for
    individuals to perform the tasks we ask of them, lengthens medical
    recovery, and increases illness, increases healing times and accounts
    for greater health costs. In fact, the DoD indicates that tobacco use
    costs the department at least $1.6 billion annually. And it continues
    to trouble me that--amid all of the rigorous physical challenges and
    testing they perform--so many of our service-members pick up these
    habits after enlisting. We also know that there are continued concerns
    about military members using tobacco alternatives such as e-cigarettes
    and vapes. In addition, I was supportive of Congressional efforts to
    raise the Federal minimum age of sale of tobacco products from 18 to
    21. But I remain concerned that we are not adequately addressing the
    youth vaping epidemic
        What are you doing on a regular basis to drive an anti-tobacco
    message throughout your Service? Are we making progress?
        Answer. I share your concerns about tobacco use in the military.
    Navy Medicine is strongly committed to ensuring Sailors and Marines are
    healthy, resilient, and physically and mentally fit to perform their
    demanding duties. Tobacco use impairs readiness, performance and
    fitness. As the Navy Surgeon General, I continue to promote tobacco
    free living. Given the stress brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic,
    we have released messages highlighting the negative effects of tobacco
    use and encouraging those who use tobacco to quit. We want our
    personnel to know that Navy Medicine can and will assist them in these
    efforts.
        Our medical campuses are tobacco free compounds which reinforces
    our messages of healthy living and tobacco free living. During our
    medical and dental care, healthcare teams address tobacco use and
    provide evidence based treatment for nicotine dependence. Navy provides
    awareness and training on the dangers and harmful effects of tobacco
    and also provides education during the command orientation and
    indoctrination process. During recruit training and other schools,
    students are tobacco free. We use social media messages, developed by
    the Navy, Department of Defense (DoD) and Centers for Disease Control
    and Prevention (CDC), to promote tobacco free living along with
    extensive online resources to support our personnel and providers. We
    have also worked closely with the other Services and the CDC's Office
    of Smoking and Health to develop a 2020 media tobacco toolkit ``Tips
    From Former Smokers Military Service Members & Veterans Media Outreach
    Kit'' for use and to partner with local and state organizations to
    promote tobacco free military communities.
        We are making progress with reducing tobacco use in the Navy and
    Marine Corps. The encouraging news is that our tobacco use rates have
    declined over the past decade. Data from the Navy and Marine Corps
    Public Health Center's Health Risk Assessment show a reduction with
    smoking cigarettes and the use of smokeless tobacco in the Navy and
    Marine Corps within the past 2 years. These current trends as positive.
    We also anticipate that the Tobacco 21 law will contribute to a decline
    in tobacco use rates. It should be notes, however, vaping in the Marine
    Corps increased during this time period similar to the national trends
    of e-cigarette use.
        Question. What is the impact that we are seeing on soldiers with
    the rise of tobacco alternatives such as e-cigarettes and vapes?
        Answer. We are concerned about the use of e-cigarettes, vaping and
    other new and alternative tobacco products in the Navy and Marine
    Corps. Over the past few years, there has been increased use of e-
    cigarette use and vaping in this country among youth and adults. We
    know that they are addicting, harmful and not a proven smoking
    cessation strategy. E-cigarettes also contain cancer causing chemicals
    and cause lung and cardiovascular disease. At this time we don't know
    the full extent of and all the negative long term effects of vaping
    which is being studied and researched.
        E-cigarette use is not safe. The use of these products have caused
    fires, explosions and injuries to our sailors and marines. As a result,
    Navy Fleet Forces Command and Pacific Fleet have suspended the use,
    storage and charging of any electronic nicotine delivery system device
    aboard all ships, submarines, aircraft, boats, crafts, vehicles and
    heavy equipment to ensure the safety of our forces. The new Secretary
    of the Navy instruction (SECNAVINST 5100.13F Navy and Marine Corps
    Tobacco Policy--2 December 2020) also bans e-cigarette, vaping and
    other alternative tobacco product use within military workspaces and
    facilities. We believe this approach helps protect the health and
    safety of our Naval Forces.
        Question. What are you doing about the impact of tobacco on
    military children and family members? Are you reviewing whether these
    products should be sold in military exchanges or commissaries?
        Answer. We want our military children, teenagers and families to be
    healthy and tobacco free. We address tobacco use during wellness and
    medical visits for children, adolescents and family members. Navy
    Medicine and the Defense Health Agency use the U.S. Public Health
    Service Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence Clinical Practice
    Guidelines to screen for and address tobacco use, encourage tobacco
    free living and provide resources, support and counseling. We encourage
    parents to quit using and not to use tobacco in their homes and around
    their children and families. Our medical team offers no cost, evidence-
    based tobacco cessation treatment for all beneficiaries. The Secretary
    of the Navy instruction protects children and families by banning
    tobacco use where children live, play and learn--at playgrounds and
    athletic fields, pools and schools.
        Navy Medicine bans tobacco use on all medical property. Tobacco
    products are prohibited for sale in any exchanges and stores that are
    within hospitals, clinics or any other medical facilities. Sale of
    tobacco products at other exchanges are under the purview of the Navy
    Exchange and Marine Corps Exchange.
                                     ______

                Questions Submitted by Senator Susan M. Collins
        Question. At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic last year, the
    nation saw a huge spike in demand for modular negative pressure room
    containment systems that can offer civilian hospitals or Military
    Treatment Facilities the capability to safely assess and treat patients
    with suspected COVID-19 symptoms. It is clear these commercial-off-the-
    shelf systems can help ensure the readiness of the defense health
    system worldwide, especially in the case of future pandemics or
    biological attacks. Section 732 of the recently enacted fiscal year
    2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) requires a report of the
    Department's pandemic preparedness. I was pleased that the Department
    has committed to ensuring that these modular negative air pressure room
    containment systems are included as part of that Pandemic Preparedness
    Report directed by the NDAA. Provisions unanimously approved in the
    Senate's fiscal year 2021 NDAA bill also required a specific review of
    these systems.
        Given the use of these systems in the civilian sector and in VA
    hospitals, what does the Navy believe to be the potential benefits of
    these systems? How could these types of systems be used by Navy in the
    future to help mitigate the spread of future pandemics or biological
    agents in the future?
        Answer. Senator Collins, thank you for your question. As reflected
    in my written testimony, Navy Medicine continues to work
    collaboratively with the DoD COVID-19 Task Force, the Joint Staff, the
    Defense Logistics Agency, the Defense Health Agency, the other
    Services, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences,
    interagency partners, and many others on the pandemic response.
        There has always been a need for negative pressure capabilities in
    our medical treatment facilities to meet the needs of our patients and
    staff. Negative pressure systems, whether built-in or modular, can
    assist patients and protect healthcare staff from certain diseases and
    agents.
        Navy Medicine has addressed these requirements on a permanent and
    temporary basis to meet the ongoing demands of the pandemic. In
    addition, both of Navy's hospital ships, USNS COMFORT and USNS MERCY,
    have negative pressure capabilities.
        As directed by the fiscal year 2017 National Defense Authorization
    Act, the Defense Health Agency (DHA) has assumed authority, direction
    and control of military medical treatment facilities. In this role, the
    DHA has primary responsibility for medical systems and their clinical
    application in these facilities. Given these responsibilities, the
    integration and value of portable negative pressure capabilities is
    most appropriately addressed by the DHA to ensure a coordinated and
    comprehensive response within the Military Health System.
                                     ______

           Questions Submitted to Lieutenant General Dorothy A. Hogg
                Questions Submitted by Senator Richard J. Durbin
        Question. I remain very concerned about curbing the use of tobacco
    in the military. We know that smoking makes it harder for individuals
    to perform the tasks we ask of them, lengthens medical recovery, and
    increases illness, increases healing times and accounts for greater
    health costs. In fact, DoD indicates that tobacco use costs the
    department at least $1.6 billion annually. And it continues to trouble
    me that--amid all of the rigorous physical challenges and testing they
    perform--so many of our service-members pick up these habits after
    enlisting. We also know that there are continued concerns about
    military members using tobacco alternatives such as e-cigarettes and
    vapes. In addition, I was supportive of Congressional efforts to raise
    the Federal minimum age of sale of tobacco products from 18 to 21. But
    I remain concerned that we are not adequately addressing the youth
    vaping epidemic.
        What are you doing on a regular basis to drive an anti-tobacco
    message throughout your Service? Are we making progress?
        Answer. The Department of the Air Force continues to discourage the
    use of all tobacco products. The DAF military treatment facilities
    support enrolled beneficiaries who require tobacco cessation support,
    which included access to medications, in-person counseling, and quit
    line counseling.
        Yes, we are making progress. Since early 2020, Active Duty
    cigarette and smokeless tobacco use continues to decline, and E-
    cigarette use rates have remained steady.
        Question. What is the impact that we are seeing on service members
    with the rise of tobacco alternatives such as e-cigarettes and vapes?
        Answer. We have not seen a significant negative impact in reported
    cases of pulmonary distress due to use of tobacco alternatives.
    Retrospective study analysis illustrate individuals using vaping oils
    have the highest likelihood of experiencing pulmonary distress,
    particular because vaping oils are not regulated. Active military
    members who use tobacco and its alternatives are provided educational
    information about the dangers and available resources if they wish to
    quit.
        Reference: Rice SJ, Hyland V, Behera M, Ramalingam SS, Bunn P,
    Belani CP. Guidance on the Clinical Management of Electronic Cigarette
    or Vaping-Associated Lung Injury. J Thorac Oncol. 2020 Nov;15(11):1727-
    1737. PMID: 32866653.
        Question. What are you doing about the impact of tobacco on
    military children and family members? Are you reviewing whether these
    products should be sold in military exchanges or commissaries?
        Answer. The sales of tobacco products is prohibited in all Air
    Force Services Activity (AFSVA) facilities (e.g., Clubs, Force Support
    Morale, Welfare, and Recreation facilities, golf course). Note: The
    military exchange and commissary are not AFSVA facilities and therefore
    cannot provide further comment about their anti-tobacco policies or
    initiatives.
                                     ______

                Questions Submitted by Senator Susan M. Collins
        Question. At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic last year, the
    nation saw a huge spike in demand for modular negative pressure room
    containment systems that can offer civilian hospitals or Military
    Treatment Facilities the capability to safely assess and treat patients
    with suspected COVID-19 symptoms. It is clear these commercial-off-the-
    shelf systems can help ensure the readiness of the defense health
    system worldwide, especially in the case of future pandemics or
    biological attacks. Section 732 of the recently enacted fiscal year
    2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) requires a report of the
    Department's pandemic preparedness. I was pleased that the Department
    has committed to ensuring that these modular negative air pressure room
    containment systems are included as part of that Pandemic Preparedness
    Report directed by the NDAA. Provisions unanimously approved in the
    Senate's fiscal year 2021 NDAA bill also required a specific review of
    these systems.
        Given the use of these systems in the civilian sector and in VA
    hospitals, what does the Air Force believe to be the potential benefits
    of these systems?
        Answer. The primary benefit is the minimal assembly time required
    and subsequently, limiting the disruption of operations in the military
    treatment facilities (e.g., fixed facility operations).
        Question. How could these types of systems be used by Air Force in
    the future to help mitigate the spread of future pandemics or
    biological agents in the future?
        Answer. Modular containment systems can be used in the future to
    help mitigate the spread of future pandemics or biological agents by:
      --Providing a temporary, alternative solution when a permanent
            facility is at risk of operating beyond its surge capacity
      --Mitigating the difficulties in establishing facilities in austere
            environments
                                     ______

                 Questions Submitted by Senator Lisa Murkowski
        Question. I appreciate Lt Gen Hogg's recognition of the ever
    growing importance of the Arctic. I would like to hear more about the
    Below Zero Medicine Program.
        What challenges does extreme cold place on medical service?
        Answer. The major challenges include, but not limited to, a lack of
    reliable extreme cold weather functioning medical and non-medical
    equipment, no suitable expeditionary medical facility, and the need to
    develop standard operating procedures/clinical practice guidelines.
        Question. What has the outcome been from the Below Zero Medicine
    summits?
        Answer. First, we developed the Cold Region Expeditionary Medical
    Operations concept. Second, we increased collaboration in extreme cold
    weather medicine research and facilitated joint service exercise
    participation. Finally, we are pursuing the development of recurring
    medical educational materials and a training curriculum proposal for
    military personnel.
        Question. Will the fiscal year 2022 request contain any Arctic-
    centric medical requests?
        Answer. There are no budget requests planned for fiscal year 2022.
        Question. In October of 2018, administration and management of the
    Military Treatment Facilities (MTFs) began to transfer from each
    Military Department to the Defense Health Agency (DHA). This transition
    also came with significant cuts to active duty medical personnel, the
    fiscal year 2021 plan reduces the medical force by 9.6 percent (7,422
    personnel). Additionally, the transition includes restructuring the
    mission and scope of each MTF which must be completed by the end of
    fiscal year 2021.
        Given these significant changes and cuts to medical personnel, have
    medical readiness rates increased for our total force?
        Answer. No, the Military Health System changes have not
    significantly affected the medical readiness rates over the last 2
    years.
        Question. If so, have the standards for tracking medical readiness
    also changed?
        Answer. The standards for tracking medical readiness have not
    changed.
        Question. It was mentioned that COVID-19 has affected medical
    readiness within the military.
        Specifically Dental Readiness, how far behind has the DoD fallen
    with regard to providing dental care to service members and what is
    your plan to eliminate this backlog?
        Answer. AF/SG has worked closely with the military treatment
    facilities to develop a leveling strategy to expand scope and capacity
    of dental care and to target any backlog of pending dental readiness
    examinations. Pre-pandemic dental readiness in February 2020 was 93.8
    percent. Currently, dental readiness is 92.7 percent and continues to
    increase as we move past the pandemic. Overall, meeting dental
    readiness requirements has not slowed down the ability to support the
    warfighting mission.
                                     ______

                   Questions Submitted by Senator John Hoeven
        Question. In your testimony, you mention the ongoing rollout of a
    new initiative that embeds Operational Support Teams (OSTs) at Air
    Force installations around the country. Minot Air Force Base was one of
    four locations to participate in the Task Force True North beta test,
    where the OST initiative began. In 2020, RAND Corporation evaluated the
    beta test and its initiatives. Four of five initiatives, including
    OSTs, were well received by leadership, providers, and airmen and the
    data supports a broad expansion of those initiatives across the Air
    Force. I want to express my support for new programs like Task Force
    True North and its initiatives that can improve the resilience and
    well-being of our airmen and their families.
        What were the key takeaways from the Task Force True North beta
    test?
        Answer. The key takeaways are:
      --Embedded medical programs are very popular with Airmen and
            Guardians. In particular, they like the accessibility, and
            ability to build a relationship with the assigned medic.
      --Embedded medical programs increase help-seeking, not only for their
            services but for the military treatment facilities as well
            (i.e. Mental Health Clinic increased 25 percent)
      --Training civilian embedded professionals takes significant time, to
            ensure their cultural competence and ability to synchronize
            with the military treatment facility.
        Question. How do you see these types of initiatives being rolled
    out across the entire Air Force?
        Answer. Embedded initiatives should be rolled out based on risk and
    need because of the practical limitations of how many providers/
    specialists the Department of the Air Force can retain or recruit
    (i.e., impossible to embed personnel in every unit).
        Additionally, supporting these types of initiatives requires
    balancing the access demands placed on our military treatment
    facilities demands.

                              SUBCOMMITTEE RECESS

        Senator Tester. The Defense Subcommittee will reconvene on
    Tuesday, April 27, at 10:00 a.m. for a closed hearing on the
    Missile Defense Agency.
        This committee stands in recess.
        [Whereupon, at 10:13 a.m., Tuesday, April 20, the
    subcommittee was recessed, to reconvene at 10:00 a.m., Tuesday,
    April 27.]

           DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022

                                  ----------

                             TUESDAY, MAY 18, 2021

                                           U.S. Senate,
               Subcommittee of the Committee on Appropriations,
                                                       Washington, DC..
        The committee met at 10 a.m. in room SH-216, Hart Senate
    Office Building, Hon. Jon Tester, (chairman) presiding.
        Present: Senators Tester, Durbin, Feinstein, Schatz,
    Baldwin, Shaheen, Shelby, Collins, Murkowski, Moran, Hoeven,
    and Boozman.

                             DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

                             National Guard Reserve

                    OPENING STATEMENT OF SENATOR JON TESTER

        Senator Tester. I want to call this committee hearing to
    order.
        I want to thank our witnesses today. We have General David
    Bellon of the Marine Corps Reserve. We have Lieutenant General
    Jody Daniels of the Army Reserve. We have General Daniel
    Hokanson of the National Guard Bureau. We have Admiral Mustin
    of the Navy Reserve, and we have Lieutenant General Scobee,
    Chief of the Air Force Reserve.
        Thank you all for being here and we look forward to your
    testimony.
        Before I get started on my prepared statement, I want to
    say when you guys are up to bat, there are five of you, try to
    hold it to 5 minutes. Your entire written statement will be a
    part of the record.
        I would just say this. Americans owe the National Guard and
    Reserve a debt of gratitude for your response to the COVID-19
    pandemic. Nearly 60,000 National Guard and Reserve service
    members answered the call of duty. These were historic record-
    breaking mobilizations, and I want to personally say thank you
    to you and the dedicated men and women under your command as
    well as their families.
        The pandemic has impacted all Americans. We all know how it
    has disrupted our families and our careers with so many jobs
    lost and questions about how to pay the bills.
        Nearly 800,000 members of the Guard and Reserve have been
    through the same, plus deployments, both domestically and
    abroad. That places further strain on families and civilian
    employment.
        Senators are reminded of these sacrifices every day when we
    come to work because one of those deployments is right here in
    our Nation's Capital.
        This subcommittee wants to make sure that we're doing right
    by all Americans that serve in uniform. That means supporting
    them with pay and benefits that they have earned, making sure
    they are properly trained for their missions, providing for
    their mental and physical health, and ensuring that they have
    the equipment that they need when they're mobilized.
        When the President's 2022 budget arrives in the coming
    weeks, one of my first questions will be what it means for the
    well-being of our Reserve components on all those fronts and
    more.
        I look forward to continuing our engagement with each one
    of the witnesses here today after the budget is provided to
    Congress. We want to know how that budget will support your
    priorities for the coming year, but as for today, I look
    forward to your testimony on the state of each of the Reserve
    components, what challenges you are facing, and how this
    subcommittee can help.
        With that, I'll turn it to Senator Shelby.

                     STATEMENT OF SENATOR RICHARD C. SHELBY

        Senator Shelby. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        I want to welcome all of our witnesses today. Our National
    Guard and Reserve perform a vast and critical role in our
    national defense. They're called to respond to national
    disasters, homeland security threats, and overseas
    contingencies are constant.
        Their unwavering commitment has been particularly evident
    over the last year as thousands have been deployed at
    unprecedented rates to provide medical care and administer
    vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic.
        On behalf of my colleagues, I want to thank all of you, the
    men and women who carry these tasks out.
        I want to also at this point as near-peer competitors, as
    we realize, are modernizing and developing their military
    capabilities at alarming rates, we want to ensure your
    departments receive the necessary resources to remain a ready
    and lethal force.
        I recognize that we will not receive the budget until May
    27. As a result, our conversations about specific funding items
    may be limited, but I also look forward to hearing from each of
    you about the ongoing efforts to sufficiently recruit, to
    train, and equip our Reserve forces, especially in light of
    setbacks due to the pandemic.
        Mr. Chairman, I thank you for calling this hearing today.
        Senator Tester. Thank you, Senator Shelby.
        And we will start with Lieutenant General David G. Bellon,
    Commander of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve.
    STATEMENT OF LIEUTENANT GENERAL DAVID G. BELLON,
                COMMANDER, U.S. MARINE CORPS RESERVE
        General Bellon. Chairman Tester, Ranking Member Shelby, and
    Distinguished Members of the Subcommittee, thank you for the
    opportunity to appear before you today and testify on behalf of
    the Commandant of the Marine Corps about your Marine Corps
    Reserve.
        I'm honored to appear with my fellow Reserve component
    service chiefs and my senior enlisted advisors, Four Star Major
    Carlos Ruiz, who sits behind me, and Force Command Master Chief
    Cary Wesser.
        The mission of the Marine Corps Reserve is to augment,
    reinforce, and sustain the Active component. We have Reserve
    forces forward deployed alongside and integrated with our
    Active counterparts, supporting numerous combatant commander
    requirements on a daily basis.
        Over the past year, more than a thousand Reserve Marines
    and sailors activated and deployed to support 20 operational
    requirements across six geographic combatant commands.
        Despite the ongoing global pandemic, the Marine Corps
    Reserve has continued to train, equip, and prepare for the next
    fight.
        I want to thank each of the members for your support to the
    Marine Corps' Force Design Initiative over the past year. While
    this has necessitated the closure of our Reserve Tank Units and
    Bridging Companies, we could not have begun our transition to a
    more nimble and lethal force without your assistance.
        I want to thank my fellow service chiefs, particularly the
    National Guard, for their support. They have been true partners
    by providing great options to our Reserve Marines who elected
    to transition to the National Guard in lieu of continuing their
    service as a Marine outside the immediate region.
        I would also like to acknowledge Admiral Mustin and the
    Navy Reserve for committing to explore new ways to integrate
    our Navy and Marine Corps Reserve Team to ensure we are best
    postured for the future fight.
        Despite the tremendous pressures and obstacles that COVID-
    19 has presented, I'm pleased to inform you that the morale in
    your Marine Corps Reserve remains high as evidenced by the
    Reserve component end strength of 99 percent of our total
    requirement.
        Not only are we attracting new Marines but they are also
    committing to service beyond their contractual obligations. On
    any drill weekend, an average of 25 percent of the Marines
    standing in formation are not contractually obligated to be
    there.
        Every month these Marines have a decision to make and they
    choose to continue to serve and lead their fellow Marines and
    sailors. I'm always impressed by the professionalism,
    competence, dedication to duty, and motivation of our Reserve
    Marines. The way they balance family responsibilities, civilian
    careers, and school with their military service is nothing
    short of extraordinary.
        Like their Active Duty brothers and sisters, they serve
    selflessly to protect our great Nation and they continue to
    answer their irrational call to serve.
        As Secretary Austin highlighted, our most critical asset is
    our people. The Marine Corps Reserve must promote and retain
    the very best Marines and sailors, regardless of race, gender,
    ethnicity, or background.
        Through the diversity of thought and action, we can find
    more resourceful and innovative solutions to the increasingly
    complex problems presented from great power competition.
        We are actively developing new initiatives and strategies
    to help achieve a more diverse and ultimately a more talented
    Marine Corps Reserve. We will need all Marines and sailors to
    contribute to solving the issues we will face and to ultimately
    win the next fight.
        I want to thank this subcommittee for your continued
    support to the National Guard and Reserve equipment
    appropriation.
        As you may recall, last year I requested your support for
    my effort to use NGREA (National Guard and Reserve Equipment
    Appropriation) funds to remedy the deficiencies of individual
    combat clothing and equipment within the Marine Corps Reserve.
    As ICCE (Iceland Command Control Enhancement) becomes more
    expensive in the future, a more flexible NGREA is a key tool
    Congress can employ to help protect our warfighters.
        In closing, I want to extend my gratitude for your ongoing
    efforts to provide timely appropriations each year. This has a
    direct impact on your Reserve Marines and sailors and their
    limited number of training days.
        Your continued support will help to ensure the Marine Corps
    Reserve will have predictable and uninterrupted training
    schedules to maximize personnel, material, and training
    readiness.
        I appreciate the opportunity to be here today and I look
    forward to your questions.
        [The statement follows:]
            Prepared Statement of Lieutenant General David G. Bellon
        Chairman Tester, Vice Chairman Shelby, and distinguished members of
    the Subcommittee, it is my privilege to appear before you and provide
    an overview on the current state of the Marine Corps Reserve.
        The Marine Corps Reserve, as part of the Total Force Marine Corps,
    stands ready to provide forces for employment across the full spectrum
    of crisis and global engagement. This past year has brought many
    challenges with the global pandemic but your Marine Corps Reserve
    continues to be engaged around the world in theater security
    cooperation activities, serving side- by-side with our Active Component
    on a wide array of operations, and making tremendous contributions in
    support of every Combatant Commander. While the Marine Corps Reserve is
    supporting current Service and Combatant Command requirements, we are
    also participating in the Service's efforts to redesign our force and
    our warfighting capabilities to deter against pacing threats as
    prescribed by the National Defense Strategy.
        I am deeply impressed by the professionalism, competence, and
    dedication of our Reserve Marines and Sailors. Like their Active
    Component counterparts, they serve selflessly to protect our great
    nation. I am inspired by the way they balance family responsibilities,
    civilian careers, and military service. They do so with humility,
    without fanfare, and with a sense of pride and dedication that is
    consistent with the great sacrifices of Marines from every generation.
    Without a doubt, the success of the Marine Corps hinges on the
    dedication and selflessness of our Reserve Marines.
                                 a total force
        Throughout the past year, the Marine Corps Reserve continued global
    deployments in support of Combatant Commander requirements despite the
    unprecedented challenges presented by COVID-19. The Marine Corps
    Reserve provided Combatant Commanders with forces focused on combat
    operations, crisis prevention, crisis response, and theater security
    cooperation. In addition to the Marines already activated and deployed,
    2020 saw another 1,044 Reserve Marines mobilized to support 20
    operational requirements across six geographic Combatant Commands. The
    Marine Corps Reserve continues to meet the increased demand for use as
    an Operational Reserve; however, this remains a challenge to our
    readiness and ability meet strategic requirements.
        In 2021, the Marine Corps Reserve is slated to support the
    Combatant Commanders by mobilizing in excess of 966 Reservists
    supporting 28 formations. These operations greatly increase the Reserve
    Component's interoperability with the Active Component, Joint forces,
    our allies, and coalition partners. I anticipate that we will continue
    to deploy across the globe and integrate with the Active Component in
    support of high-priority Combatant Commander requirements for the
    foreseeable future.
        In addition to supporting Combatant Commanders, the Marine Corps
    Reserve provided direct support to the Marine Corps' accession
    requirements by responding to emerging COVID-19 requirements. The
    Marine Corps Reserve activated more than 500 Marines and Sailors to
    augment and reinforce the Marine Corps Recruit Depots at Parris Island
    and San Diego. These Marines ensured the recruits awaiting training
    maintained proper quarantine protocols, enabling assimilation into
    training platoons with minimal risk of a COVID-19 outbreak during
    training. As a result of this Total Force effort, the mission to make
    Marines continued despite the global pandemic.
        The Marine Corps Reserve typically uses participation in the
    Department of Defense Innovative Readiness Training (IRT) program to
    provide joint/military training in the United States and its
    territories to increase deployment readiness. IRT simultaneously
    provides key services (health care, construction, transportation, and
    cybersecurity) with lasting benefits for our American communities. We
    saw a significant reduction in IRT programs due to the global pandemic.
    The Marine Corps Reserve participated in only two projects in 2020 but
    obtained valuable training that increased deployment readiness in
    combat engineering skills. Our participating units were able to train
    to mission essential tasks involving both horizontal and vertical
    construction, while making tangible, meaningful impacts in their
    communities. We expect a marked increase in future projects. In 2021,
    the Marine Corps Reserve is slated to support 16 exercises under the
    IRT program. Examples include diverse construction training supporting
    the Girl Scouts at Camp Paumalu, Hawaii; providing logistical support
    and medical care to communities throughout Kodiak Island, Alaska; and
    roadwork in Pima County, Arizona. With your continued support of these
    efforts, we look to expand our footprint in this program, which will
    include construction, medical, and cybersecurity efforts.
        In addition to participating in operational requirements across the
    globe, the Marine Corps Reserve supports the Total Force by dutifully
    executing the sensitive and crucial mission of providing casualty
    assistance to the families of our fallen Marines. There is no
    responsibility we treat with higher regard than this solemn mission.
    Inspector-Instructor (I-I) and Reserve Site Support staffs are
    geographically positioned to accomplish the vast majority of Marine
    Corps casualty assistance calls and are trained to provide
    compassionate and thorough assistance to families. Indeed, the vast
    majority of Marine Corps casualty notifications and follow-on
    assistance calls to the next of kin are made by our Reserve Marines.
    During Calendar Year (CY) 2020 our I-I and Reserve Site Support staffs
    performed 95% of the casualty calls performed by the Marine Corps. The
    professionalism and compassion of our Casualty Assistance Calls
    Officers (CACOs) continues well beyond the initial notification. We
    ensure that our CACOs are well trained, equipped, and supported by all
    levels of command through a combination of in-person and online
    training. Once assigned, the CACO serves as the family's central point
    of contact and coordinates with funeral homes, government agencies, and
    other organizations. They assist family members with planning the
    return and final resting place of their Marine and ensure the filing of
    appropriate documents so families receive all benefits to which they
    are entitled. In many cases, our CACOs provide a long-lasting bridge
    between the Marine Corps and the grieving family.
        The Marine Corps Reserve also performs the solemn mission of
    military funeral honors and our Reserve units take pride in performing
    the majority of these services for our fallen Marines and their
    families. Marine Corps funeral honors are dedicated to ensuring all
    Marines who have served obtain the appropriate honors as a final salute
    to their life and the final demonstration of the country's gratitude to
    those who, in times of war and peace, have faithfully defended our
    nation. COVID-19 presented many new challenges for units performing
    military funeral honors such as: the temporary closing of our
    cemeteries; mandatory compliance with local city, state and federal
    government travel restrictions; and strict adherence to health and
    safety guidelines. Notwithstanding these challenges, Marine Corps
    Reserve units accomplished 16,521 military funeral honors, nearly 81%
    of the previous year's total.
        Finally, the Marine Corps Reserve functions as the greatest link
    between the Marine Corps and communities across the nation. From the
    Toys for Tots campaigns each holiday season to community engagement
    events and solemn funeral details, we are the face of the Marine Corps
    to the majority of the American public. With Reserve units located
    across the country, the Marine Corps Reserve is uniquely positioned to
    interact with the American public and communicate the Marine Corps
    story to our fellow citizens, most of whom have little or no experience
    with the Marine Corps.
                                   personnel
        Marines, Sailors, and our civilian Marines are the foundation of
    all that we do. The resources we dedicate to sustaining and developing
    this foundation directly contributes to the success of our institution.
    The vast majority of the Marine Corps Selected Reserve's authorized end
    strength of 38,600 falls under Marine Forces Reserve. The Selected
    Reserve is composed of Marines in four categories: Selected Marine
    Corps Reserve (SMCR) Units, Active Reserve (AR), Individual
    Mobilization Augmentees (IMAs), and service members in initial training
    (IADTs). Embedded with these Marines are 1,557 Active and Reserve
    Component Sailors who serve critical roles in the operational, medical,
    dental, and spiritual readiness of our Reserve force. The success of
    the Marine Corps Reserve would not be possible without the support of
    these Sailors and US Navy programs.
        In addition to the Marines and Sailors of the Selected Reserve, the
    Marine Corps Reserve administratively controls approximately 62,000
    Marines who serve in the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR). The Marine
    Corps Reserve continues to monitor the mobilization viability of these
    IRR Marines through the use of muster events at multiple locations
    across the country. These muster events allow the Marine Corps Reserve
    to ensure the IRR Marines meet the requirements for mobilization. The
    events also provide the opportunity to address administrative issues,
    conduct mental health and post-deployment assessments, review Reserve
    obligations and new opportunities, and meet with Marine Corps prior-
    service recruiters. During the past year the Marine Corps Reserve
    conducted 20 muster events which 4,862 IRR Marines attended. In
    addition to the musters, the Marine Corps Reserve contacted and
    screened 59,294 Marines.
        The Marine Corps Reserve strives to retain the very best Marines
    capable of fulfilling our leadership and operational needs. The option
    of continued service in the Reserve Component has become increasingly
    appealing to young Marines leaving active duty. Marines approaching the
    end of their current contracts, whether Active or Reserve Component,
    receive counseling on the tangible and intangible benefits of remaining
    affiliated with the Selected Reserve. We educate each transitioning
    Active Component Marine on opportunities for continued service in the
    Marine Corps Reserve through the Marine Corps' transition assistance
    and educational outreach programs.
        Even as the Marine Corps restructures our forces to ensure we are
    postured to confront future potential adversaries, we are making every
    effort to retain those Marines impacted by force design decisions. In
    2020 we deployed a series of Personnel Transition Teams (PTTs) to every
    unit impacted by force design. These PTTs were specifically designed to
    ensure every impacted Marine was provided information, education, and
    one-on-one career counseling concerning available incentives, career
    opportunities, and continued service options. For example, during the
    divestment of our reserve tank battalion we successfully retained over
    52% of all Reserve Marines assigned to those site locations through
    voluntary reassignment to another Marine Reserve unit, while an
    additional 24% of those Marines chose to transfer to their local Army
    National Guard tank unit in order to continue their military service.
    Survey responses show that 91% of the Reserve Marines felt they had
    been provided both the information and support needed to make an
    informed decision, while 89% of the Reserve Marines felt that their
    best interests were kept in mind.
        Recruiting and retaining high quality Marines remains essential to
    the Marine Corps' reputation as the nation's force-in-readiness.
    Although we produced Marines safely in the face of the global pandemic,
    the challenges associated with COVID-19 have had a significant impact
    on our ability to recruit. As a result, the Selected Marine Corps
    Reserve faced a 50.4% reduction in new non-prior service accessions and
    a loss of 7.9% of the forecasted prior-service accessions.
    Notwithstanding these notable losses, Marine Forces Reserve still
    enjoys high affiliation and retention rates enhanced through incentive
    programs such as occupational specialty retraining, inactive duty
    travel reimbursement, and bonus payments. These programs are essential
    to ensure we continue to meet authorized end strength and retain our
    most talented Marines. Your continued support to these critical
    programs has helped preserve our overall personnel end strength at
    94.3% of the total requirement and maintain a grade and Military
    Occupational Specialty match rate of 81.7%.
        Our personnel readiness is not only reflective of the health of the
    force, but directly contributes to our overall operational readiness.
    While we fully expect to meet our Selected Marine Corps Reserve
    retention and recruiting goals this year, continued use of available
    incentive programs is critical to optimally align our inventory against
    our requirements, maintain individual and unit level readiness, address
    shortfalls in staff non-commissioned officers, and fully rebuild
    readiness from previous force structure changes.
                                   equipment
        Reserve Component units remain highly interoperable with their
    Active Component counterparts due to the Marine Corps' Total Force
    approach to equipment fielding and management. Reserve Component forces
    are manned, trained, and equipped to standards that facilitate the
    seamless, integrated employment of forces to meet Combatant Commander
    requirements. Our Reserve units and personnel continue to be in high
    demand despite the challenges associated with the new COVID-19
    operating environment. The Reserve Component continues to meet all
    operational and training requirements, including support to Combatant
    Commanders worldwide.
        This operational tempo places stress on our ability to maintain our
    equipment and replenish our deficiencies. In the event of a large-scale
    wartime mobilization, to include any sizable call-up of the IRR,
    individual combat clothing and equipment deficiencies may become a
    strategic risk to mission.
        With regard to maintenance readiness, the Marine Corps Reserve has
    mitigated risk for many years in three ways. First, we refine units'
    Training Allowances (TA), which is that portion of a unit's full Table
    of Equipment (TE) located at Reserve Training Centers. Our goal is to
    balance the amount of equipment necessary to conduct training with the
    amount of equipment that can be maintained within personnel, facility,
    and fiscal constraints. Second, we leverage operation and maintenance,
    Marine Corps Reserve, funds to secure mobile maintenance support teams
    that augment our limited organic maintenance capacity in the Marine
    Corps Reserve. Third, we contract third party logistics to repair
    secondary reparables that cannot be repaired organically due to the
    lack of an intermediate maintenance activity capability. Congressional
    support for Reserve funding in the Fiscal Year (FY) 22 President's
    budget request is paramount to our continued success in sustaining our
    equipment and maintenance readiness.
        Upcoming fielding of the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) and
    Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV) will provide the Reserve Component with
    the latest generation of combat equipment. Additionally, fielding of
    programs such as the Ground/Air Task Oriented Radar (G/ATOR), Ground
    Weapons Locating Radar (GWLR), All Terrain Crane (ATC), Platoon Water
    Purification System (PWPS), and Mobile Integrated Remains Collection
    System (MIRCS) will enhance our ability to fight, maneuver freely, and
    win on the modern battlefield. The KC-130J Super Hercules remains a
    procurement priority of the Marine Corps Reserve. The Marine Corps
    Reserve has currently reached Initial Operating Capability (IOC) for 13
    of 28 aircraft and is expected to reach Full Operating Capability (FOC)
    in the future.
                                    training
        The Marine Corps Reserve typically participates in a number of
    training exercises in the United States and overseas each year to
    improve combat readiness and enhance our ability to rapidly activate
    and integrate with the Active Component. The global pandemic presented
    numerous challenges to the Reserve force's ability to participate in
    and conduct training. By April 2020, we had canceled drill weekends and
    annual training periods to protect the Marines, their families, and
    local communities. In order to limit the amount of lost training
    opportunities, we created telework drill weekends and increased
    occasions for Marines to conduct online training. Our local commanders
    demonstrated initiative and creativity in conducting meaningful
    training for the Marines. While digital training allowed for an
    increase in individual skills, it could not replace critical unit
    training at the company and battalion levels.
        With several months of data available, we determined the risk of
    not providing ready forces as the result of conducting in-person
    training exceeded the risk from COVID-19. We therefore began to resume
    in-person drill weekends in June and enabled Marines to conduct their
    annual training in the 4th quarter of FY20. Operations in a COVID-19
    environment became the norm, with precautions including the wearing of
    masks and social distancing during training. Local commanders adjusted
    their training to include spreading out unit drills over multiple
    weekends to ensure compliance with local health mandates for reduced
    gathering of personnel. Our small unit leaders performed admirably
    during this trying period, maintaining communication with their Marines
    and ensuring mitigation measures were enforced to guarantee quality
    training while preventing the spread of the pandemic as a result of in-
    person drills. At the end of FY20, we were able to provide an
    opportunity for all Reserve Marines to participate in an annual
    training period, whether in person or virtually.
        The global pandemic adversely affected higher level training
    normally gained during regularly scheduled exercises. Combatant
    Commanders and host nations canceled joint and bi-lateral exercises due
    to COVID-19 restrictions; in FY20, 48 of 71 scheduled exercises across
    four Combatant Commands were canceled. Reserve participation in the
    exercises that did take place was largely eliminated due to
    Restriction-Of-Movement (ROM) requirements. These exercises were
    designed to provide mission essential task training in a joint
    environment. This left nearly 3,000 Marines in need of an alternate
    annual training period. Reserve participation in the annual Service-
    level Integrated Training Exercise (ITX) conducted aboard Marine Corps
    Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms California was also canceled
    due to the global pandemic. ITX improves combat readiness, efficiency
    in Total Force integration, and enables more rapid activation response
    times at the battalion and squadron levels. The loss of the Combatant
    Commander exercises, ITX, and numerous battalion and squadron annual
    training exercises in CY20 has resulted in a less operationally ready
    Marine Corps Reserve.
        Operating in a COVID-19 environment directly impacted Reserve
    Marines' ability to complete required resident professional military
    education (PME) courses. The Marine Corps Reserve converted the
    majority of its 800 seats in resident PME to online courses to overcome
    the challenges of educating the force. Employing ROM, wearing of masks,
    and social distancing, the Marine Corps Reserve preserved nearly 300
    resident seats, enabling Marines to attend PME in person with their
    fellow Marines.
        The Marine Corps Reserve uses training simulators wherever and
    whenever possible to preserve fiscal and materiel resources. Reserve
    units employ Indoor Simulated Marksmanship Trainers (ISMTs) to maintain
    combat marksmanship skills and to maximize the use of their most
    precious resource: time. The ISMTs enable onsite training and eliminate
    long distance travel to remote Department of Defense (DoD) training
    locations. The use of ISMTs as well as increased online training
    enabled the force to complete mission essential tasks and required DoD
    and Service-level annual training during the global pandemic.
                                   facilities
        The Marine Corps Reserve occupies facilities in 47 states, the
    District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. These
    facilities include 158 Reserve Training Centers (RTCs) (22 of which are
    owned by Marine Forces Reserve and the remaining 136 of which are
    operated by other Services with Marine Corps Reserve units as tenants),
    three family housing sites, one permanent barracks, and one General
    Officer Quarters. Although some of these facilities are located on
    major DoD installations, most are situated within civilian communities,
    ranging from neighborhoods to industrial and commercial districts. We
    continue to improve the maintenance and security of our facilities to
    ensure the safety of our Marines and Sailors and to provide effective
    training and mobilization locations.
        Fifty-seven percent of the facilities budget supports the day-to-
    day cost of operating and maintaining existing infrastructure. The
    Marine Corps Reserve has improved the overall readiness of our
    facilities inventory through the Facilities Sustainment, Restoration
    and Modernization (FSRM) support program and maximized the impact of
    our budget through divestiture and demolition of excess footprint.
        The Marine Corps' Military Construction, Navy Reserve (MCNR)
    program focuses on providing construction for new and enduring
    capabilities, as well as recapitalization of our aging facilities. The
    construction provided by the annual authorization and appropriation of
    MCNR funding is an important factor in advancing our facilities support
    mission as we optimize our force laydown throughout the nation.
    Continued support for our MCNR request is essential as we divest of
    failing infrastructure and modernize capabilities.
        The combined effects of our targeted consolidation, FSRM, and MCNR
    programs have steadily reduced the number of inadequate or substandard
    Reserve Training Centers and enabled better support to the force. In
    addition, our targeted consolidation, FSRM, and MCNR programs have
    increased the force protection of our Marines and Sailors. These
    programs have allowed the Marine Corps Reserve to partner with the
    joint bases and other services to meet the Department of Defense
    security and force protection lines of effort promulgated by the
    Secretary of Defense following the 2015 Chattanooga, Tennessee U.S.
    Navy Reserve Center shootings.
        As our infrastructure ages and we continue to implement force
    protection improvements along with environmental and energy-saving
    projects, our operating costs have steadily increased. Service level
    efforts to modernize our force and its infrastructure have also
    increased costs. The continued support to our annual funding request
    for our facilities program will enable us to improve the overall
    physical infrastructure that reinforces the operational readiness of
    our units.
                                health services
        The Marine Corps Reserve Health Services Support (HSS) system
    prioritizes the health and wellness of our Reserve Marines and Sailors.
    We continue to improve medical readiness through a robust Individual
    Medical Readiness program within the Marine Corps Reserve and by
    accurate monitoring, identification, and supervision of unit level
    actions necessary to attain readiness goals. Additionally, our Health
    Services personnel participate in Force Readiness Activation Assessment
    Program inspections and audits which provide oversight at the unit
    level and the ability to monitor readiness and adherence to policy.
        The Reserve Health Readiness Program (RHRP) has greatly increased
    overall medical and dental readiness throughout the force. This program
    provides support using contracted civilian medical and dental providers
    to work with units that do not have organic medical or dental support
    personnel or are not supported by a Military Treatment Facility (MTF).
    During FY20, the RHRP performed 14,946 Periodic Health Assessments
    (PHAs), 216 Post-Deployment Heath Re- Assessments (PDHRAs), 18,229
    audiological examinations, and 16,787 dental examinations.
        HSS's priority is to achieve the DoD's goal of a 90% medically
    ready force. National, regional, state and local restrictions on travel
    and group activities due to COVID-19 community transmission affected
    scheduling and availability of both organic unit and RHRP readiness
    events over the course of several months. During FY20, our individual
    medical and dental readiness rates were 76% and 81%, respectively.
    Marine Corps Reserve units rely heavily on RHRP to maintain our medical
    and dental readiness, and continued support of this program is
    imperative for maintaining overall readiness.
                               behavioral health
        In addition to the RHRP, the Marine Corps Reserve continues to
    execute a robust behavioral health program which includes Combat
    Operational Stress Control, Suicide Prevention, Substance Abuse
    Prevention, and Family Advocacy programs. Operational Stress Control
    and Readiness (OSCAR) training is conducted at all levels and continues
    to be provided during pre-deployment training to service members
    deploying for more than 90 days and all to commands in garrison. This
    training provides essential knowledge, skills, and tools to assist
    commanders in preventing, identifying, and managing combat and
    operational stress concerns as early as possible. Each of these tools
    supports the commander in building unit strength, resilience, and
    readiness as well as keeping Marines in the fight.
        COVID-19 community transmission has not only impacted medical
    readiness, but also the mental health of our Marines and Sailors.
    Amongst our Active and Reserve Component service members mental health
    effects included increased isolation, relationship stress, and
    financial strain. The Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery continues to
    support behavioral health through various independent, contracted
    programs such as PDHRA and the Psychological Health Outreach Program
    (PHOP). The PDHRA program focuses specifically on identifying issues
    that emerge after our Marines and Sailors have returned home from
    deployment. PHOP secures behavioral health screenings, psychological
    treatment referrals, and essential follow-up treatment to ensure our
    service members' behavioral health needs are met. In FY20, PHOP
    received 584 new referrals through their outreach services. PHOP
    addresses both post-deployment behavioral health concerns and crisis-
    related interventions by providing our Marines and Sailors access to
    local resources through a network of contracted behavioral health
    programs. These programs are critical to maintaining a resilient force
    by providing pathways for Marines, Sailors, and families to seek
    behavioral health assistance.
        Signs of operational and combat stress may manifest long after a
    service member returns home from deployment. This delayed onset of
    symptoms presents unique challenges to Reserve Marines who may be
    detached from vital medical care and the daily support network inherent
    in active duty Marine Corps units. Encouraging Marines to recognize and
    communicate mental health issues is a pervasive challenge facing our
    commanders. The Marine Corps Reserve addresses the stigma associated
    with mental health care through key programs such as the Yellow Ribbon
    Reintegration Program (YRRP) and OSCAR. Furthermore, we market all of
    our behavioral health initiatives and programs through our Marine Corps
    Reserve website and during key Marine Corps forums throughout the year.
        In FY20, we developed and are now piloting a smart phone mobile
    application (app) that is tailored to Marine Reservists. USMC Connect
    is a Defense Information Systems Agency approved, enterprise-wide,
    mobile app that serves as a gateway to public content on government
    websites. The USMC Connect app was established to deliver portable,
    timely, and relevant information to Marines, Sailors and their families
    and to reduce reliance on traditional computers to access career and
    personal resources. The app is customizable, enabling units to provide
    Marine Reservists with relevant, unit-specific information. The app
    includes a mobile Common Access Card (CAC) portal that will allow
    Marines to pair their devices with a mobile CAC reader to access some
    CAC-secured sites. USMC Connect will increase engagement,
    communication, and connectedness through greater access to career,
    lifestyle and behavioral health resources.
        The Marine Corps Reserve Substance Abuse program continues to
    educate Marines on substance misuse, relationships, stress management,
    emotional regulation, thinking patterns, and risk awareness. The
    program provides tools to promote the safety of Marines and their
    families and to sustain and improve personal readiness and unit
    performance. The Marine Corps Reserve relies profoundly on its Drug
    Demand Reduction Program, which uses random urinalysis testing to deter
    the use of illicit drugs and misuse of prescription drugs. Each Reserve
    unit conducts monthly drug testing to screen Reserve Marines for drugs,
    as well as breathalyzer testing to screen for alcohol use while in a
    duty status. The Substance Abuse program staff provides quarterly and
    on-demand education and awareness training on the dangers of misusing
    and abusing prescription drugs as well as information on the proper
    disposal of unused and outdated medications. Additionally, the
    Substance Abuse program increases leaders' awareness of the dangers of
    abusing prescription drugs through annual supervisor-level substance
    abuse training.
        The Marine Corps Reserve recognizes that the factors contributing
    to suicide are numerous and complex. Risk factors can include
    depression, family history of suicide, and substance abuse. Common
    precipitating stressors include relationship, legal, and financial
    challenges as well as disciplinary problems. We mitigate stressors
    using a multidimensional and multilevel approach.
        Small unit leaders are encouraged to foster a sense of belonging
    for Marines. Commanders employ messaging to safely and effectively
    communicate about suicide, conduct Force Preservation Councils to
    identify risk factors, and provide courses of action to mitigate
    destructive behavior. Once a possible behavioral health issue has been
    identified, the command implements intervention and reintegration
    strategies, as appropriate, to help lower risks, encourages Marines to
    ask for help when needed, and restricts access to lethal means for
    those at risk for suicide in accordance with existing laws and
    policies. The Marine Corps' Unit Marine Awareness and Prevention
    Integrated Training (UMAPIT) teaches every Marine the basics of suicide
    prevention. UMAPIT consists of tailored curricula designed to
    proactively manage challenging situations and improve Marines' ability
    to address behavioral health issues such as substance abuse, suicide,
    family maltreatment, and combat operational stress before they become
    unmanageable. The Marine Corps' culture is shifting toward recognizing
    that seeking help is a sign of strength, which will help reduce stigma
    and barriers to seeking care. Finally, all Marines are taught to
    recognize suicide warning signs, seek help for their fellow Marines,
    and never leave a Marine behind.
        Care Management Teams focus on supporting Reserve Marines through
    the Department of Veterans Affairs Transition Care Management Program.
    Our Marines are assigned a Care Manager who oversees the referrals and
    follow-on care of the Reserve Marine's individual health care needs.
    Marine Intercept Program (MIP) is an evidence-informed, targeted
    intervention for service members who have had an identified suicide
    ideation or suicide attempt. MIP includes a series of telephonic
    contacts in which a counselor reaches out to the Marine and assesses
    them for risk, encourages the use of a safety plan, and identifies and
    addresses barriers to services or resources. The MIP counselors then
    incorporate these contacts into the counseling process. These services
    are also provided to our Reserve Marines through the PHOP.
        Our Marines have proven their strength in navigating challenging
    issues such as frequent moves, deployments, and separations from loved
    ones. To help with these struggles, our Marines, Sailors, and family
    members are able to access behavioral health programs at Marine Corps
    installations through Marine Corps Community Services (MCCS) while on
    active-duty orders. Additionally, we continue to support Military
    OneSource which provides confidential, non-medical counseling,
    resources, and support to service members and their families anywhere
    in the world.
                      sexual assault prevention & response
        Sexual assault is a complex and challenging matter that is often
    interrelated with readiness challenges, behavioral health issues, and
    destructive behaviors. For the Marine Corps Reserve, addressing the
    health and safety of our service members and fostering a culture of
    dignity and respect are top priorities toward reducing and ultimately
    eliminating sexual assault within our ranks. To accomplish this goal,
    the Marine Corps Reserve executes a Sexual Assault Prevention and
    Response (SAPR) program. Seven full-time, professional employees ensure
    the efficacy of the program and its services across our geographically-
    dispersed force. In addition to the force level Sexual Assault Response
    Coordinator (SARC), each Major Subordinate Command (MSC) within the
    Marine Corps Reserve has a full-time civilian SARC who serves as a
    special staff officer to their Commanding General and manages their
    SAPR program from Marine Forces Reserve headquarters in New Orleans,
    LA. The program also has two professional civilian SAPR Victim
    Advocates (VAs) who travel to Marines, Sailors and their families to
    provide in-person advocacy services, training, and unit-specific
    program guidance. The Marine Corps Reserve works diligently to improve
    our victim response, outreach, and sexual assault prevention by
    approaching these efforts as a team. The SARCs and VAs work together to
    ensure there is never a gap in coverage, regardless of the MSC. Leaders
    at every level and anyone in need of support services has access to a
    SAPR staff member for program guidance.
        The SAPR staff trains up to 160 individuals to become VAs each year
    during courses held quarterly in New Orleans. After completing the 40-
    hour training course, these potential VAs submit an application for
    credentialing through the DoD's Sexual Assault Advocate Certification
    Program. Once credentialed, the VAs are officially appointed by their
    commanders to serve in the billet at their respective RTCs. In total,
    the Marine Corps Reserve maintains an active roster averaging more than
    200 VAs across the country.
        SAPR personnel respond to Marines, Sailors, and adult dependents
    who request support services related to a report of sexual assault. The
    SARCs and VAs screen for potential safety issues, develop
    individualized safety plans, and offer advocacy services and referrals
    in the military and civilian sectors. In order to more effectively
    support the Reserve Component, the SAPR Program developed and maintains
    a database of nationwide resources for victims of sexual assault who
    may not have access to military providers.
        The Marine Corps Reserve operates a dedicated Sexual Assault
    Support Line that is staffed by the professional SAPR team 24/7. The
    Marine Corps Reserve also actively publicizes the DoD Safe Helpline, an
    additional resource that offers crisis support services for members of
    the DoD community. The DoD Safe Helpline is available 24/7 worldwide
    with ``click/call/text'' user options and can be used anonymously for
    confidential support.
        The Marine Corps Reserve's prevention strategy is holistic and
    integrated with other programs aimed toward eradicating sexual assault,
    such as the Equal Opportunity Program, Safety, Spiritual Readiness
    Initiatives, the PHOP, Total Force Fitness initiatives, and Behavioral
    Health. The Marine Corps Reserve continues to set the example by
    employing a zero-tolerance policy related to sexual assault and
    harassment and a retaliation-free command climate. Leaders at every
    level are encouraged to actively engage with Marines and Sailors to
    create a positive environment free from attitudes and behaviors that
    are incompatible with our core values. Each year all Marines and
    Sailors receive SAPR training which covers reporting options, available
    resources, and prevention techniques. Along with overall education
    about the SAPR program, these periods of instruction give individual
    Marines and Sailors an opportunity to interact with their local Command
    SAPR Representatives, thereby helping to generate trust in the program
    and confidence that the prevention of sexual assault is a priority for
    leadership.
                                quality of life
        The Marine Corps Reserve strives to achieve appropriate balance and
    effective performance of our quality of life programs which provide
    support and assistance during deployment and on the home front. The
    Marine Corps Reserve is dispersed throughout the country and away from
    most traditional brick and mortar resources available at major bases
    and stations. The ability to access the comprehensive set of MCCS
    programs, which support operational readiness, war fighting
    capabilities, and quality of life, can have a profoundly positive
    effect on the well-being of our Marines and families. MCCS programming
    includes education and transition assistance, fitness and recreation,
    deployment support, family team building, and prevention. MCCS is a
    user-friendly and responsive single resource that provides constant and
    unwavering support to Marines and their families throughout their
    entire service or affiliation with the Marine Corps. The MCCS Unit,
    Personal, and Family Readiness Program is supported by civilian
    Deployment Readiness Coordinators or Uniformed Readiness Coordinators
    who implement a commander's family readiness vision and help Marines,
    Sailors, and families maintain a constant state of family readiness.
        MCCS programs remain flexible, constantly adjusting to meet the
    needs of our geographically dispersed Marines and their families. The
    training programs provided to our commanders, Family Readiness Command
    Teams, Marines, and their families help to produce a ready and
    resilient force equipped to achieve success. The Marine Corps Family
    Team Building (MCFTB) program promotes readiness and resiliency through
    non-clinical preventative education, professional training, and
    community-building support to Marines and Sailors and their families
    throughout mission, life, and career events. MCFTB training events are
    delivered both in person and virtually through interactive webinars at
    158 RTCs. During FY20, the Marine Corps Reserve conducted 169 training
    events in which 6,854 Marines and family members received valuable
    information to prepare for and thrive during deployments and achieve a
    positive post-deployment reintegration experience.
        A key component to our quality of life and resiliency is the
    religious ministry support provided by 141 Religious Ministry Team
    (RMT) members. As uniformed service members, RMTs support Marines and
    their families across the full spectrum of military life including
    combat and humanitarian engagements. There are 87 RMT members embedded
    in 46 Marine Corps Reserve units across the country. The religious
    ministry support includes developing the Commandant's spiritual
    readiness initiatives as part of the Human Performance Division,
    providing divine services across the spectrum of faith communities,
    advising on spiritual and ethical matters, and delivering pastoral care
    in a safe and confidential environment. Chaplain support is provided to
    Marines, Sailors, and families at numerous funeral services year-round.
    The Chaplains provide spiritual guidance at the services and follow-on
    care as needed, providing a source of healing for family members.
        The Chaplain Religious Enrichment Development Operations (CREDO)
    program provides transformational retreats and workshops, including the
    Marriage Enrichment Retreat (MER), the Personal Resiliency Retreat
    (PRR) and the Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST)
    class. The MER and PRR equip Marines, Sailors, and their families with
    practical relationship and communication tools that strengthen
    marriages and individual resiliency on the home front and during
    deployments. The PRR helps Marines and Sailors set personal goals, make
    good decisions, deal with stress, and live their lives with greater
    purpose and satisfaction. During FY20, 235 individuals participated in
    five MERs and one PRR.
        In an ongoing effort to reduce suicidal events, the CREDO Program
    offers ASIST and Suicide Alertness for Everyone (safeTALK), evidence-
    based programs that train individuals to intervene in suicidal
    ideations and keep the individual safe until they can receive follow-on
    care. A total of 122 personnel were trained at six ASIST and three
    safeTALK classes in FY20, providing commands with resources to offer
    positive outcomes in unit readiness. Participants in these programs
    self-reported a 68% increase in their likelihood to intervene to help a
    person having thoughts of suicide. One FY20 enhancement of the program
    has been a ``take it to where the Marines are'' option with three of
    the workshops taking place in conjunction with travel to distant
    geographic locations.
        COVID-19 has significantly impacted the operational tempo of the
    CREDO Program, inhibiting travel for in-person training and
    necessitating the cancellation of 10 retreats and five ASIST workshops.
    The Marine Corps Reserve immediately pivoted to live virtual training
    in order to continue mission execution. Launching with the motto
    ``Virtual Engagement. Real Impact.'' the transition incorporated new
    Leadership and Personal Growth Workshops (LPGW), Marriage Enrichment
    Workshops (MEW), and Professional Naval Chaplain Workshops (PNCW). The
    LPGWs and MEWs incorporate goals of the PRRs and MERs, respectively, in
    a shorter, non-retreat format using MarineNet's Adobe Connect platform.
    The PNCWs are built to enable the CREDO program to train and equip
    other Chaplains and leaders with skills that directly and positively
    impact service members, their families, and Federal Civilian employees.
    One example of this training is Adobe Connect, which instructs
    participants on the use of the platform for teaching. The Chaplain of
    the Marine Corps subsequently instructed all RMTs attached to Marine
    Corps Units to complete the class in an effort to mitigate COVID-19
    impact by equipping RMTs across the enterprise. Pilot partnerships were
    launched to reduce required resources and simultaneously increase
    deliverables (e.g., Virtual CREDO, Centers for Adaptive Warfighting,
    Federal Coaching Network, etc.). In FY20, CREDO conducted 54 virtual
    and 22 in-person workshops consisting of 680 training hours for more
    than 2,058 participants.
        The Marine Corps emphasizes the importance of readiness for Marines
    and family members in many areas of life. Personal and Professional
    Development programs continue to provide training and educational
    resources to our Marines, Sailors, and their families in a variety of
    areas. One key program that assists commands, Marines, and family
    members with readiness is the Command Financial Specialist (CFS)
    program. The CFS program provides assistance on a wide array of
    financial issues to include budgeting, diversifying income, credit and
    debt management, military/consumer protections, car buying, home
    options, saving and investing, insurance, Survivor Benefit Program,
    Veteran benefits, retirement, and financial counseling to all members
    of our dispersed forces.
        The technical expertise our Marines have achieved during their
    service has considerable value to the country's civilian sector. The
    Marine Corps' Transition Readiness Program emphasizes a proactive
    approach that enables Marines to formulate effective post-transition
    entrepreneurship, employment, and educational goals. A virtual
    transition readiness seminar is available for Reserve Marines and
    Sailors who are unable to attend an installation-based transition
    course. The Marine for Life Network links our Marines to employment,
    education, and community resources in their hometown areas to support
    their future goals. Tutor.com offers our Marines and their dependents
    access to 24/7, no-cost, live tutoring services for grades K-12 and
    college students. Our Marines are also provided with remote access to
    language courses through Mango Languages, which supports over 70
    languages, including English as a Second Language (ESL). Peterson's
    Online Academic Skills Course helps Marines build math and verbal
    skills to excel on the job, pass exams, and advance their careers and
    education.
        The Marine Corps' Semper Fit program is fully engaged in partnering
    with our bases and stations to provide fitness education activities
    that promote physical and mental readiness and develop positive self-
    esteem and healthy lifestyles. Additionally, the High Intensity
    Tactical Training (HITT) program focuses on physical resilience, combat
    readiness, and injury prevention. The HITT program provides hands-on,
    science-based strength and conditioning courses and online physical
    fitness tools to include instruction on injury prevention, nutrition,
    and weight management. Our Marines' and Sailors' quality of life is
    also strengthened through team building and esprit de corps activities
    such as unit outings and participation in competitive events. These
    programs are vital to unit cohesion and camaraderie.
        The Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program (YRRP) is a DoD-wide effort
    to promote the well-being of National Guard and Reserve members, their
    families, and communities by connecting them with resources throughout
    the deployment cycle. The YRRP is an enduring and invaluable part of
    our efforts to build resiliency. Since its inception in 2010, we have
    conducted more than 922 training events for more than 52,000 Marines,
    Sailors, and family members. In FY20, we conducted three live and 22
    virtual events with more than 3,000 participants.
        Our Marines, Sailors, and their families who sacrifice so much for
    our nation's defense should not be asked to sacrifice their quality of
    life. We continue to be a faithful advocate for flexible quality of
    life programs and services that evolve and adapt to the changing needs
    of our Marines, Sailors, and their families. The combined effect of
    these programs and services is critical to the readiness and retention
    of our Marines, Sailors, and their families.
       supporting our wounded, ill, or injured marines and their families
        The Marine Corps ensures the availability of full spectrum care to
    all wounded, ill, or injured (WII) service members, whether they are
    Active or Reserve, through the Wounded Warrior Regiment (WWR). The
    Marine Corps Reserve ensures Reserve Marines' unique challenges are
    addressed through a WWR Liaison Officer who provides subject matter
    expertise and special coordination with the WWR staff.
        The WWR staff includes the Reserve Medical Entitlements
    Determination Section, which maintains specific oversight of all
    Reservists requiring medical care for service-incurred and duty-
    limiting medical conditions. Reservists facing complex care and
    recovery needs have access to WWR's network of 45 Recovery Care
    Coordinators who provide one-on-one transition support and resource
    identification for WII Reservists and families often living long
    distances from military installations. WWR also has medical advocates
    at the regimental staff who are available to assist Reservists in need
    of medical care coordination and advocacy. District Injured Support
    Coordinators dispersed throughout the country also coordinate with
    Reserve units to ensure we keep faith with all Marines.
        The Marine Corps Reserve will not forget the sacrifices our Marines
    have made for this great nation and we will continue to work with the
    WWR to establish resources and programs that address the unique and
    ongoing needs of our Reserve population.
                                  force design
        The Marine Corps Reserve, operating as both a strategic and
    operational reserve, remains a critical part of the Marine Corps Total
    Force. As the Marine Corps transitions towards Naval Campaigning in
    response to Great Power Competition, the Reserve Component continues to
    be an integral element of the planning effort. The Marine Corps force
    development process is accomplished through deliberate integrated
    planning teams and comprehensive wargames. The Marine Corps Reserve
    provides support to this force design effort, while remaining a vital
    global contributor to meeting Combatant Command requirements.
        Although there have been significant adjustments to the Active
    Component forces, the redesign of the Reserve Component has yet to
    mature to the point of implementation. While there has been some public
    mention of specific units identified for deactivation, there is still
    much deliberation occurring to ensure Reserve capabilities are not
    inadvertently or prematurely eliminated. Currently, only the
    deactivations of 4th Tank Battalion and Bridging units across the
    Marine Corps have impacted the Marine Corps Reserve. The Marine Corps
    Reserve has been working tirelessly to ensure that each Marine affected
    by unit deactivations is afforded every opportunity to continue their
    service to the country. To that end, Personnel Transition Teams (PTTs)
    have been traveling to all impacted locations to meet individually with
    all Marines. As it relates to the siting of Reserve units across the
    country, we are actively analyzing a variety of factors to ensure that
    if we encounter a situation that forces us to vacate a location, we
    have both the quantitative as well as qualitative measures to
    substantiate difficult decisions. As we continue to analyze Service
    requirements, our site support organizations will remain in place until
    greater clarity of force design implications are known. The Service is
    dedicated to maintaining an optimal set of sites for Reserve
    capabilities in support of the future Marine Corps.
                               talent management
        The legacy Industrial Age manpower management processes we use
    today will not support our larger force design goal. As the Marine
    Corps continues to develop talent management objectives in support of
    departmental objectives, there are unique opportunities worth exploring
    within the Reserve Component. Our nation's Reservists feel inspired to
    answer the call to service and are willing to dedicate the requisite
    time to develop dual careers. The Marine Corps Reserve is actively
    engaged in developing and managing talent and is currently developing a
    Reserve Component talent management strategy that aligns the
    institution's vision, mission, and goals for how talent should be
    managed to increase warfighting effectiveness while instilling the
    institution's values. This talent management vision will focus on
    talent development, leadership development, and diversity & empowerment
    in order to attract, recruit, identify, incentivize, and retain the
    most talented individuals across the entire force necessary to achieve
    institutional and strategic objectives.
                                   conclusion
        Your Marine Corps Reserve is forward deployed supporting Combatant
    Commanders' requirements, participating in Service- and Joint-level
    exercises both at home and abroad, and is the constant face of the
    Marine Corps to our local communities. As part of the Total Force, we
    are focused on force design, readiness, and manpower to maintain and
    enhance our Service's ability to deter pacing threats as prescribed by
    the National Defense Strategy. Given a worthy mission and a clear
    signal that their individual contributions are valued by the Service,
    your Reserve Marines will continue to answer their ``irrational call to
    service.'' With your continued support, we will remain ready. Semper
    Fidelis!

        Senator Tester. Thank you, General.
        Next up, we have Lieutenant General Jody J. Daniels, Chief
    of the Army Reserve.
    STATEMENT OF LIEUTENANT GENERAL JODY J. DANIELS, CHIEF,
                U.S. ARMY RESERVE
        General Daniels. Chairman Tester, Ranking Member Shelby,
    Distinguished Members of the Subcommittee, on behalf of the
    200,000 soldiers and civilian employees of the U.S. Army
    Reserve, thank you for the opportunity to testify before you
    today and for your continued support for our soldiers,
    families, and employers.
        In an era of great power competition, the Army needs forces
    able to compete with adversaries, respond to crises, win in
    conflict, and prepare for the future.
        That mission requires a dedicated Federal Reserve force
    that is ready now and prepared to meet the challenges of
    tomorrow. That force is the United States Army Reserve.
        At the cost of just 6 percent of the total Army budget, the
    Army Reserve provides 20 percent of the total force, nearly
    half of the Army's maneuver support, a quarter of its force
    mobilization capability, and a myriad of other unique
    capabilities.
        Over the last 3 years, the Army Reserve has focused on
    rebuilding collective readiness to win near-peer large-scale
    combat operations as we transform into a force capable of
    providing multi-domain operations.
        However, last year, like the rest of the world, we
    encountered an unforeseen threat but our readiness paid
    dividends in unexpected ways. Within 24 hours of the President
    invoking involuntary mobilization authority in response to
    COVID-19, the Army Reserve aggregated critical medical
    capabilities and initiated one of the largest domestic
    mobilizations in our history.
        Within days, we assembled over 2,800 soldiers, including
    1,200 healthcare professionals, and deployed them into critical
    crisis zones around the country. To date, over 4,500 Army
    Reserve soldiers have mobilized to support our Nation's COVID-
    19 response.
        The Army Reserve continues to support the COVID-19 response
    operations while prioritizing the readiness and training of our
    soldiers and formations. Early in the pandemic, we focused on
    individual readiness and began using cloud-based tools to
    conduct virtual battle assemblies. We also implemented control
    measures to decrease risks during in-person gatherings.
        Despite an uncertain training environment, the Army Reserve
    continues to support combatant commanders. Since March 1, 2020,
    we have mobilized almost 18,000 soldiers, 268 units to support
    operations around the globe.
        We have also developed a readiness concept known as the
    Army Reserve Mission Force or ARM Force to prepare our
    formations for the four Cs: competition, crisis, conflict, and
    change. The ARM Force is under the Army's regionally-aligned
    Readiness and Modernization Model or REARM and provides a
    common sense framework to align resources across the component
    and unit readiness cycles.
        This approach ensures that we have sufficient readiness to
    support our combatant commands while responsibly investing in
    the modernization necessary for the future fight.
        While maintaining readiness, we are also shaping tomorrow
    by bringing innovation and depth to Army modernization efforts.
    We created the 75th Innovation Command to act as technology
    scouts and we are leveraging the vast subject matter expertise
    gained through our civilian careers to assist Army Futures
    Command.
        However, all this means nothing without our soldiers and
    our formations. We need ready and resilient soldiers, capable
    leaders, cohesive teams, strong families, and supportive
    employers to ensure our success.
        To that end, we are aggressively addressing behaviors that
    destroy our squads. Sexual assaults, sexual harassment,
    extremism, and racism run counter to our Army values. We are
    embracing the philosophy of this is my squad to build a culture
    of dignity and respect and assure all believe their lives are
    worth living.
        Sustaining critical operational capabilities requires
    adequate and predictable funding. We are grateful for the
    consistent appropriations that positively impact Army readiness
    and modernization efforts meet the needs of the Army and our
    combatant commands across the full range of military
    operations, including support of National Guard and Reserve
    equipping account.
        The future holds many challenges, but today's Army Reserve
    is the best-trained, best-equipped, and striving every day to
    be the most ready Army Reserve in our Nation's history.
        With your continued support, we will continue to build on
    our strong foundation to meet the needs of the Nation and shape
    the Army Reserve of tomorrow.
        Thank you and I look forward to your questions.
        [The statement follows:]
            Prepared Statement of Lieutenant General Jody J. Daniels

                         The United States Army Reserve

                       ready now! shaping tomorrow . . .

    The State of the Army Reserve--Ready Now! Shaping Tomorrow
        In an era of great power competition, the Army needs forces able to
    compete with adversaries, respond to crises, win in conflict, and
    prepare for the future. To accomplish this mission, the Army needs a
    dedicated Federal Reserve force that is ready today and prepared to
    meet the challenges of tomorrow. That force is the United States Army
    Reserve.
        The Army Reserve is Ready Now, providing Soldiers and units to
    Combatant Commanders, enabling competition around the globe, supporting
    civil authorities in the homeland and conducting the foundational
    training required to win in great power conflict.
        190,000 Army Reserve Soldiers and 11,000 Civilians are present in
    all 50 States, 5 U.S. territories, and deployed to 23 countries around
    the world. The Army Reserve contains nearly half of the Army's maneuver
    support and a quarter of its force mobilization capacity at a cost of
    just 6% of the total Army budget.
        Although the Army Reserve only constitutes 20% of the Army's
    personnel, it provides over 50% of its quartermaster and medical
    formations, over 80% of its civil affairs, legal, and religious units,
    62% of its military information support operations units, and over 40%
    of its chemical, transportation, ordnance, and intelligence forces. It
    provides the cornerstone of critical enabling capabilities like
    petroleum distribution, water purification, port opening, technical
    intelligence, and railroad operations.
        The Joint Force cannot deploy, fight, and win without the Army
    Reserve. The Army provides the bulk of sustainment and enabling forces
    to other Services, and most of these enabling forces reside in the Army
    Reserve.
        While the Army Reserve maintains readiness, it is also Shaping
    Tomorrow by bringing innovation and depth to Army modernization
    efforts. Army Reserve talent is an integral part of Army Modernization
    efforts. The Army Reserve has a higher proportion of Soldiers with
    graduate degrees than any other Army component. Nine percent of Army
    Reserve Officers have doctorates and over 32% have Masters degrees.
        Talent is not limited to the Officer ranks. More than 13% of Army
    Reserve Enlisted Soldiers have Bachelors degrees. We have Enlisted
    Soldiers who are investment bankers, executives, and technologists. The
    call to service attracts individuals from all walks of life and
    professions.
        Our Soldiers live in two worlds. They bring their civilian
    experiences to bear in their military duties and their innovative
    mindsets, acquisition skills, and project management expertise help
    solve the Army's most complex challenges. As the Army moves towards the
    conduct of multi-domain operations, our Soldiers will play a critical
    role in linking the private sector into the defense enterprise. Our
    pools of talent in areas like defensive cyber operations and additive
    manufacturing are valuable wells of capability ready for the Nation to
    tap. Part-time service is a valuable mechanism to attract talent that
    might otherwise forgo military service.
        Soldiers, Civilians and Families are the centerpiece of our efforts
    to stay ready and evolve. Ready and resilient Soldiers, capable
    leaders, cohesive teams, strong families, and supportive employers are
    the key to a ready and capable Army Reserve.
    Ready Now! And COVID-19
        Over the last three years, the Army Reserve focused on rebuilding
    collective readiness to contend with a near peer in Large-Scale Combat
    Operations (LSCO). However, in March of 2020, like the rest of the
    world, we encountered an unforeseen threat.
        Our readiness paid dividends in unexpected ways. Within 24 hours of
    the President invoking involuntary mobilization authority, the Army
    Reserve rapidly aggregated critical medical capabilities in response to
    the COVID-19 Pandemic and initiated one of the largest domestic
    mobilizations in its history. In days, the Army Reserve assembled over
    2,800 Soldiers, including 1,200 healthcare professionals, and deployed
    them to crisis zones around the country. By mid-April, 15 custom-built
    UAMTFs--Urban Augmentation Medical Task Forces--prepared to treat
    patients in New York, Seattle, Detroit, Boston, Philadelphia, New
    Jersey, and Connecticut. Each of these UAMTFs had the capacity to man a
    240-bed hospital and relieve some of the burden falling on our civilian
    medical infrastructure at the start of the pandemic.
        In addition to direct medical support, the 76th Operational
    Response Command and 807th Medical Command controlled forces across the
    United States; the 377th Theater Support Command and 4th Expeditionary
    Sustainment Command provided logistics to units from all components;
    the 505th Intelligence Brigade helped U.S. Army North track COVID's
    spread, and 180 Emergency Preparedness Liaison Officers (EPLOs)
    integrated federal, state, and local responses. Forward Engineering
    Support Teams helped to convert commercial buildings into hospitals,
    contractor support personnel arranged for vital services, and Army
    Reserve Aviation units flew over 600 missions, moving 1,870 personnel
    and over 8,000 pounds of cargo to points of critical need around the
    country.
        Outside of the United States, Army Reserve formations assisted our
    allies and overseas installations with their pandemic response. In
    Europe, the 7th Mission Support Command provided Civil Support Teams to
    decontaminate high traffic areas across the U.S. Army Garrison in
    Kaiserslautern, Germany, and performed COVID-19 testing and analysis in
    Poland. The Medical Support Unit-Europe delivered medical supplies, and
    the 9th Mission Support Command based in Hawaii deployed nurses,
    medical planners and EPLOs, supported three federal staging areas, and
    moved more than 11,500 pieces of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
    and medical gear into the Pacific Territories, Hawaii, and Alaska.
        In total, between March 1, 2020, and March 15, 2021, 4,578 Army
    Reserve Soldiers mobilized to support the Nation's COVID-19 response.
        The Army Reserve continues to train while maintaining support to
    U.S. Army North in COVID-19 operations around the country. Early in the
    pandemic, the Army Reserve began making use of cloud-based tools to
    conduct virtual battle assemblies.
        Army Reserve Cyber Soldiers continued required individual and team
    collective training through use of the Persistent Cyber Training
    Environment (PCTE), enabling Soldiers to complete complex cyber
    exercises while geographically separated. This synthetic training
    environment enabled Soldiers to collaborate via the Internet from
    personal computers, which maintained individual training and readiness
    goals for the year.
        When conditions permitted, Army Reserve units transitioned to team-
    and squad-level collective training with the intention of getting back
    to normal operations where possible. Units incorporated medical
    screening procedures, testing (as available), and control measures to
    decrease risk during in-person gatherings. Leaders also utilized
    innovative tools that provided real-time data on area infection rates
    to make informed decisions on the risks of conducting collective
    training.
        None of these activities and operations prevented the Army Reserve
    from supporting Combatant Commanders. Since March 1, 2020, the Army
    Reserve mobilized 17,894 Soldiers in 268 units to support operations
    around the globe.
        The Army Reserve will continue to implement measures to mitigate
    the risk imposed by COVID-19 to keep Army Reserve Soldiers and their
    families healthy and safe, and to ensure that the Army Reserve is ready
    to defend the Nation against any threat to our national security
    interests at home or abroad.
    Shaping Tomorrow... and the Army Reserve Mission Force
        In addition to resuming challenging collective training, supporting
    the Nation's COVID-19 response, and providing trained Soldiers and
    units to Combatant Commanders, the Army Reserve developed a readiness
    concept known as Army Reserve Mission Force (ARM Force) to prepare our
    formations for competition, crisis, conflict, and change.
        The ARM Force prioritizes resources and support for units based on
    mission alignment. Forces earmarked for competition or conflict receive
    highest priority, followed by those designated to modernize or generate
    forces in case of full-scale mobilization. ARM Force nests under the
    Army's Regionally Aligned Readiness and Modernization Model (ReARMM)
    and provides a commonsense framework to align resources across the
    component. The concept complements ReARMM's efforts to transform the
    Army into a multi domain-capable force by aligning current force
    structure against competition requirements, and providing predictable
    mission cycles that allow for training and modernization.
        The ARM Force is just one part of how the Army Reserve aims to
    shape tomorrow, a journey we are pursuing with the Total Army. The Army
    Reserve is heavily engaged in shaping future capabilities from
    Information Advantage to next-generation Protection with investments in
    systems like Joint Battle Command-Platforms to ensure interoperability
    with the Total Army.
        While still in early stages of operation, the Army Reserve's 75th
    Innovation Command (75IC) currently adds value to the Army, Army
    Futures Command, U.S. Army Reserve Command, and Combatant Commands by
    providing relevant technology scouting and critical subject matter
    expertise, serving as the bridge between the Army's modernization
    objectives and private sector innovators and technology leaders.
        Army Reserve subject matter experts have assisted the Army's Chief
    Information Officer, the Army Science Board, and Army Futures Command
    with the critical challenges of cloud computing, cyber security,
    artificial intelligence implementation and enterprise architecture, and
    participated in major events such as Project Convergence 2020, Joint
    Warfighting Assessment 2020, and the Army Software Factory concept.
        Personnel from the 75th Innovation Command also serve in key
    leadership roles for the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) and the Office
    of the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) for the Army.
    PEOPLE
        Modernization, however, means nothing without the Soldiers in our
    formations. Army Reserve priorities are in line with the Army Senior
    Leadership. People are our most precious resource and our number one
    priority.
        By investing in our people, we will make our Soldiers, units, and
    ultimately the Army as a whole, a stronger and more lethal force.
    Moreover, a ``People First'' culture builds unit cohesion by creating a
    foundation of strength, resilience, discipline, inclusiveness and trust
    that leadership will always take care of their Soldiers.
        The Army Reserve is a highly diverse and educated force. In total,
    the Army Reserve has more Service members who identify as Black,
    Hispanic, Asian/Pacific Islander, or American Indian/Alaskan Native
    than any other Reserve component across all branches of service.
    Twenty-five percent of Army Reserve Soldiers are female.
        Diversity extends to the senior leadership of the Army Reserve as
    well. Women constitute 19% of our General Officers. We also have double
    the proportion of General Officers who identify as Hispanic or as
    Asian/Pacific Islander. We expect these numbers to increase even
    further as individuals from the diverse ``Gen-X'' and ``Millennial''
    generations reach eligibility for flag rank.
        People and diverse teams remain critical to our success in all
    efforts. We intend to reinforce success by implementing an Army Reserve
    People Strategy that aims to:
      --Continue to create a vibrant and diverse organization with members
            from all demographics, walks of life, and regions of the United
            States.
      --Strengthen trust across our formations by ensuring people feel
            valued as members of cohesive, disciplined, and fit teams,
            rightsizing operational tempo, and supporting programs such as
            Project Inclusion, Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and
            Prevention (SHARP), and Equal Opportunity.
      --Invest in an improved quality of life for Soldiers and Families by
            fostering and maintaining supportive relationships with
            employers and encouraging other partnerships that enable
            meaningful Army Reserve service, dual civilian- military career
            progression, and strong, supportive families, and communities.
      --Embrace reform by empowering junior leaders with the authorities
            and permissions they need to successfully lead and train their
            Soldiers, and remove unnecessary administrative steps and
            pointless requirements that stifle progress and hinder informed
            analysis.
    Families and Employers
        Readiness depends upon both the Families who support and sustain
    our Soldiers and the employers who enable them to serve the Army and
    the Nation. Strong Families are crucial to individual readiness and to
    overcoming many problems that confront military Families.
        The National Defense Strategy relies upon the support of an
    operational Army Reserve, and our relationships with Families and
    employers directly impacts our ability to sustain readiness.
    Taking Care of Soldiers
        ``This is My Squad'' focuses on building cohesive teams that
    increase good order and discipline which, in turn, helps ensure that
    suicide, sexual harassment and assault, and extremism have no place in
    the Army Reserve. Supporting this philosophy are quarterly foundational
    readiness events.
        Army Reserve Family Programs provide a host of services for
    Soldiers, Family members, command teams and civilians throughout the
    geographically dispersed Army Reserve community.
        For example, the Army Reserve Volunteer Program promotes and
    strengthens volunteerism by uniting community efforts and establishing
    volunteer partnerships.
    Suicide Prevention
        America's military men and women are strong, dedicated, and
    resilient. However, physical, mental, and spiritual stress can lead to
    issues ranging from diminished mission capability to the tragedy of
    suicide. Without a doubt, years of multiple deployments, frequent
    family separations, and interruptions of primary careers degraded the
    capability of geographically-dispersed Soldiers. The social isolation
    created by the COVID-19 pandemic has increased these stressors.
        Army Reserve commanders, leaders, Soldiers, and Civilians share the
    responsibility to prevent suicide. The Army Reserve is working to
    increase critical resources and eliminate the stigma associated with
    seeking help with suicidal ideations and other emotional or
    psychological issues. Army Reserve commanders are also authorized to
    place Soldiers serving in an Ask-Care-Escort capacity and those
    Soldiers at-risk for suicide into a duty status when ideations are
    identified.
        Many tools and resources are available to Soldiers and leaders to
    increase individual resiliency and prevent suicide. For example,
    Military OneSource provides free financial counselors for military
    members facing serious financial issues--a key suicide risk factor.
        The Holistic Health and Fitness (H2F) Program is a model aimed at
    the entire force, not just people in crises. The H2F program focuses on
    Physical, Nutritional, Mental, Spiritual, and Sleep, to help Soldiers
    and others improve their overall readiness and learn how to thrive
    during demanding periods.
    Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention (SHARP)
        Sexual harassment and sexual assault prevention and response is
    critical to preserving individual dignity and unit cohesion at every
    level. Army Reserve Leaders are focused on promoting awareness,
    reporting allegations, prosecuting offenders, protecting survivors and
    creating a positive environment of trust, dignity and respect.
    Eliminating sexual misconduct in the ranks is critical to increasing
    personal and organizational readiness.
        The Army Reserve's People Strategy reinforces the correlations
    between sexual harassment and sexual assault and command climate, and
    empowers both Soldiers and leaders who recognize potential violations
    to act to prevent and respond to incidents. The strategy reflects the
    Army Reserve's commitment to safety, respect, inclusiveness, diversity
    and freedom from sexual harassment and sexual assault.
        Sexual harassment and sexual assault training, accountability and
    victim-recovery programs are a priority in every Army Reserve Command.
    The Army Reserve is fully committed to creating and maintaining an
    environment of dignity and respect.
    Domestic Extremism
        Today, lone offenders and small cells of individuals, including
    Domestic Violent Extremists (DVEs) constitute the primary terrorist
    threat inside the United States.
        Like all components within the Department of Defense, the Army
    Reserve is conducting extremism stand-downs that highlight the
    importance of our oaths to the Constitution, our responsibilities to
    the Nation as Soldiers, and that involvement with groups that advocate
    for political violence or crimes of hate run counter to our oaths.
        The Army Reserve takes all allegations of Soldier involvement in
    extremist groups seriously. Extremist ideologies and activities
    directly oppose our values and beliefs and those who subscribe to
    extremism have no place in our ranks.
        Extremist activity presents a direct threat to readiness and is
    counter to the ``This is My Squad'' philosophy. Extremism in the ranks
    thwarts the Army Reserve's effort to eliminate barriers to team
    cohesion; puts personnel and facilities at risk from physical assault;
    hinders recruiting efforts; and breaks trust with the American people.
    Resourcing the Army Reserve
        Sustaining critical operational capabilities requires consistent,
    adequate, and predictable funding to ensure the Army Reserve can meet
    the needs of the Army and our Combatant Commands across the full range
    of military operations. Ensuring component interoperability across war
    fighter platforms, such as Communications and Command and Control
    systems, and addressing gaps identified by the Army in its ability to
    conduct Large-Scale Combat Operations (LSCO) remains a central
    challenge.
        We are grateful for consistent appropriations that positively
    impact Army Reserve readiness and modernization efforts which support
    survivability and lethality on the battlefield.
    Ready Now! Shaping Tomorrow . . .
        The future holds many challenges, but today's Army Reserve is the
    best trained, best equipped, and most ready Army Reserve in our
    Nation's history. We will continue to build on that strong foundation
    to meet the needs of the Nation and shape the Army Reserve of tomorrow.

        Senator Tester. Thank you, General Daniels.
        General Hokanson of the Guard Bureau, you're up.
    STATEMENT OF GENERAL DANIEL R. HOKANSON, CHIEF, U.S.
                NATIONAL GUARD BUREAU
        General Hokanson. Chairman Tester, Ranking Member Shelby,
    and Distinguished Members of the Subcommittee, it's an honor
    for our Senior Enlisted Advisor Tony Whitehead and I to join
    you today on behalf of the soldiers and airmen of your National
    Guard.
        Earlier this month, we reached a key milestone, the 10
    millionth person vaccinated against COVID-19 by members of our
    National Guard. This is not only a reason for hope and relief,
    it's a testament to our abilities and a triumph of our
    partnerships.
        As a primary combat reserve of the Army and the Air Force,
    we are manned, trained, and equipped to fight our Nation's
    wars, but in times of emergency, our people, training, and
    equipment help us respond to our communities.
        Last June, more National Guard troops were mobilized than
    at any time since World War II. Nearly 120,000 soldiers and
    airmen were deployed supporting the war fight overseas or
    involved in domestic operations here at home, and despite the
    COVID environment, we continued our military training and met
    every overseas deployment requirement.
        In January, in response to the attack on the Capitol, we
    mobilized and deployed 26,000 National Guardsmen to D.C. within
    2 weeks. Using organic National Guard air support and
    logistics, soldiers and airmen from every State and territory
    arrived to secure our 59th Presidential Inauguration.
        This past year was an extraordinary one for our National
    Guard and in the interest of time, I'd like to highlight just
    one weekend, Labor Day of 2020. That weekend, while many
    Americans were on holiday, more than 65,000 National Guardsmen
    were on duty around the globe. Roughly 20,000 were deployed
    across 34 nations in support of our combatant commanders.
        During that same weekend, more than 18,000 were helping
    their communities fight COVID-19 from manning testing sites to
    working in food banks so our fellow Americans would not go
    hungry.
        More than 3,500 were helping their communities recover from
    Hurricane Laura in Texas and Louisiana. More than 2,600 were
    supporting Customs and Border Patrol on the southwest border.
    More than 1,500 were protecting the rights of peaceful
    protesters and safeguarding communities against violence in
    Georgia, Texas, Kentucky, and Wisconsin.
        That same weekend in Alaska, a team of Guardian Angel
    airmen rescued two hikers, one of who fell more than a hundred
    feet off a cliff. For their actions, they were awarded the
    Wilderness Rescue of the Year by the American Red Cross of
    Alaska.
        And still on that same weekend, especially modified C-130s
    from the California and Nevada Air National Guard, along with
    helicopters and unmanned aircraft from multiple States, were
    fighting record wildfires. This included the dramatic rescue of
    240 people trapped by wildfires in the Sierra National Forest
    by the California National Guard's 40th Combat Aviation
    Brigade. This daring night rescue in heavy smoke was possible
    because our crews were equipped with modernized helicopters and
    the latest generation night vision goggles. For their heroism
    and extraordinary achievement, the air crews were awarded the
    Distinguished Flying Cross.
        This one weekend is just one of many weekends for the
    National Guard. Our country and our communities needed us, so
    our Guardsmen left their families and their civilian jobs and
    proudly served as soldiers and airmen. Their selfless service
    is both important and inspiring and is reflected in our
    recruiting and retention.
        It's no surprise the National Guard was ready for the
    challenges we faced in 2020 and continue to face in 2021. This
    would not have been possible without your investments over the
    last 20 years that transformed the National Guard from a
    strategic reserve to today's operational reserve.
        I'm grateful for the committee's support in helping provide
    our soldiers and airmen the facilities, equipment, and training
    resources they need to be interoperable on the battlefield and
    responsive in our communities.
        Combined with our partnerships at every level, from local
    first responders to FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency)
    to our 82 international state partnerships, we are posturing
    for the future. However, there are still places we fall short.
        Our equipment must be deployable, sustainable, and
    interoperable. Our facilities must be repaired or replaced if
    they're no longer functional, and our full-time support must
    increase so we can better manage our resources and, most
    importantly, our people.
        There are also distractions our soldiers and airmen face
    every day. If they don't have healthcare, what happens if they
    get hurt or injured after they come off orders? If they're
    doing the same job as their Active or Reserve counterparts, why
    are they treated differently? If they've invested their career
    in the Space Mission, will there still be a home for them in
    the National Guard?
        Every day our team is working to address these issues and
    their solutions. I am committed to working with the Army and
    the Air Force and you to find them.
        Among my most pressing concerns are premium free healthcare
    for Guardsmen, the establishment of a Space National Guard, and
    elevating six of our general officers commensurate to the
    levels of their responsibility. These are strategically
    important issues and they are the right thing to do.
        The National Guard is about 20 percent of our Joint Force
    and anything that impacts our readiness reduces our Nation's
    ability to deter and makes us less competitive, less capable,
    and less lethal.
        Help us keep our promise to remain always ready, always
    there.
        Thank you for the opportunity to be here. I look forward to
    your questions.
        [The statement follows:]
                 Prepared Statement of General Daniel Hokanson
        The National Guard is a lethal, cost-effective, dual-role
    operational force that provides strategic depth to the Army, Air Force,
    and Space Force, and responds to crises in our homeland. We are capable
    of operating in a complex global security environment and continue to
    invest in modernization and readiness to prepare for the threats of the
    future. Today's National Guard is an integral part in addressing the
    gravest challenges facing the Joint Force.
        Globally, China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, and violent extremist
    organizations continue to present significant threats to U.S.
    prosperity and security. At home, our adversaries use of cyber-attacks
    and disinformation threaten our democracy while the growing frequency
    and severity of hurricanes, wildfires, floods, and a global pandemic
    challenge the safety of our citizens and communities.
        The year 2020 was unprecedented and historic. National Guard
    members supported every Combatant Commander around the globe and met
    every mission here at home. On June 6, 120,000 National Guard Soldiers
    and Airmen were mobilized in support of overseas and domestic missions,
    one of the highest levels of National Guard support to our nation since
    World War II.
        Given the uncertain future and budget priorities, we expect the
    Department of Defense to rely on the National Guard more, not less.
    Therefore, we must be ready to execute our three core missions:
    fighting America's wars; securing the homeland; and building enduring
    partnerships that support our nation's strategic objectives. Continued
    investment in the National Guard ensures we can meet today's demands
    while preserving the capability, capacity and deterrence our nation
    needs against a broad spectrum of potential future threats.
                                    warfight
        The National Guard is the primary combat reserve of the Army and
    Air Force, and provides operational capability to the Space Force. We
    provide enduring, rotational, surge, and follow-on forces to meet any
    Joint Force mission. Today, thanks to the substantial investment in
    training, equipment and readiness by Congress and DOD leaders, we have
    become the most capable, professional, ready, and combat proven
    National Guard in the history of the United States.
        In 2020, Soldiers with the North Carolina Army National Guard's
    30th Armored Brigade Combat Team, who tested their combat skills at the
    National Training Center in 2019, returned from their deployment to
    Kuwait and Syria and began supporting their communities COVID-19
    response efforts and civil disturbance missions. Also in 2020, the
    Idaho Air National Guard's 124th Fighter Wing deployed their A-10s and
    Airmen to the region as well. The 124th's deployment, the wing's
    second-largest ever, required pilots, security forces, maintainers,
    medical personnel, special warfare tactical air controllers and
    staffers to support operations across two continents.
        The National Guard is also a trusted space and cyber partner. For
    25 years, National Guard space units have provided operational, unit-
    equipped, surge-to-war capability to protect our nation's vital
    interests in this contested domain and today supply the Space Force
    with 11 percent of its space professionals and 60% of offensive
    Electronic Warfare capability. In addition, our cyber warriors bring
    their military and civilian skillsets to bear in support of Cyber
    Command's global commitments.
        Two decades of investment and modernization in the National Guard
    has paid measurable dividends to our Joint Force's lethality and our
    nation's security.
                                    homeland
        Unique to the National Guard is our ability to apply the training
    and equipment from our wartime missions to our state responses in the
    homeland. National Guard Soldiers and Airmen logged over 10.9 million
    days serving our communities in 2020--more than four times as many as
    2019.
        The events of 2020 required an unprecedented response to various
    unforeseen events within the homeland. Most significantly, the men and
    women of the National Guard served more than 7.6 million days in
    support the COVID-19 pandemic--a mission that continues today. They
    provided over 632 million meals to neighbors, distributed over 539
    million pieces of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to essential
    workers, and tested or screened over 16.1 million people for the virus
    across the 50 states, 3 territories and the District of Columbia in
    2020. In addition, they were called to fight record wildfires in
    California with specially equipped C-130s, helicopters, MQ-9 drones and
    shovels; expedited recovery efforts after a record number of named
    hurricanes battered the Gulf Coast; and provided support to cyber
    security, cyber assurance and recovery from cyber-attacks at the local,
    state, and federal levels.
        In 2021, your National Guard is making concerted efforts to assist
    in logistics, distribution, and vaccination of the communities they
    serve. To date, Guard Soldiers and Airmen have vaccinated millions of
    civilians, administering well over 150,000 shots a day--with those
    numbers continuing to grow.
        The National Guard's skills and abilities developed for the
    warfight (such as leadership, training, logistics, and communications),
    coupled with its unique array of authorities and trusted local, state,
    and federal partnerships, makes it a natural choice for tackling some
    of the most difficult challenges we face at home.
                                  partnerships
        Building enduring partnerships at the international, federal,
    state, and local levels contributes to our nation's strength and
    readiness. Our approach makes the National Guard a force other nations
    and organizations are eager to partner with.
        At the international level, the National Guard's State Partnership
    Program (SPP) is a key pillar to the Department of Defense's focus on
    alliances and partnerships. Through the SPP, the National Guard
    maintains long-term relationships that strengthen alliances, enhance
    interoperability, reassure allies and deter our adversaries. Improving
    the military, security and emergency response capacity of partner
    nations improves their resiliency, benefiting the entire international
    community. Through 82 SPP partnerships, the National Guard is engaged
    with 89 nations, 45% of the world's nations, and ensures the Department
    of Defense has capable, trusted and interoperable partners at our side.
        At the federal level, the National Guard maintains productive
    interagency relationships with the Federal Emergency Management Agency,
    Department of Homeland Security, Department of Health and Human
    Services, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection that contribute to
    rapid and unified responses when disasters strike. Additionally, the
    National Guard runs several counterdrug schools that offer in-person
    training courses to federal, state and local law enforcement personnel.
        At the local level, we develop partnerships and connections in the
    communities we serve through efforts such as the National Guard Youth
    ChalleNGe, and DOD's Innovative Readiness Training (IRT) and STARBASE
    programs. Youth ChalleNGe is a community-based program that leads,
    mentors and trains 16-to-18- year-old, at-risk youths on values, life
    skills, education, and the self-discipline required to become
    productive citizens in America's future. The IRT program connects
    annual military training opportunities with the needs of disadvantaged
    or remote communities to produce mission-ready forces, civil-military
    partnerships and strong communities. The STARBASE program also exposes
    our nation's most underrepresented youths to activities in the Science,
    Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) career fields through a hands-
    on learning experience at National Guard and other DOD installations
    across the nation.
                          chief, national guard bureau
        As the 29th Chief of the National Guard Bureau and member of the
    Joint Chiefs of Staff, I provide input into every decision impacting
    our Joint Force and advise the Secretary of Defense on all matters
    involving the National Guard and the capabilities the National Guard of
    the 50 states, 3 territories, and District of Columbia provide the
    Joint Force. The health and welfare of our service members is
    fundamental to these capabilities, and it's imperative we continue to
    provide our Soldiers, Airmen, space professionals, families and
    civilians access to the resources needed to maintain their resilience.
    Maintaining the welfare of our force also means ensuring our
    organization continues to promote inclusion, equality, diversity and
    resilience, with zero tolerance for abuse, harassment or
    discrimination. Finally, we cannot lose sight of the importance of our
    employers. Employers are critical to the success of our part-time
    business model and we must continue to foster an employer-service
    member relationship that is sustainable and mutually beneficial.
        Today's leaders will have to contend with budget pressures,
    training shortfalls, time constraints and modernization gaps. We must
    develop leaders capable of performing at today's pace of change;
    redefine how we train forces and approach readiness; and seek to become
    more joint and multi-domain minded. This is critical as we look to
    normalize the capabilities of an operational National Guard within the
    DOD's processes.
        My goal over the next four years is to build on past National Guard
    accomplishments and contributions to the Joint Force in achieving
    National Defense Strategy objectives through a continued focus on our
    three core missions of warfight, homeland and partnerships. I intend to
    build a sustainable operational force for the future by focusing on
    four priorities: people, readiness, modernization and reform. Today's
    National Guard is the most modern, ready and interoperable Joint Force
    in our 384-year history. However, our adversaries do not rest. We must
    continue to build a National Guard that is stronger and more
    responsive, one with greater lethality, global influence and the combat
    readiness to deter aggression.
                           always ready, always there
        Serving with the 443,000 men and women of the National Guard is an
    honor. We provide combat-proven forces when needed and tirelessly help
    our communities where we live. We stand ready to face the threats of
    today, and prepare for the challenges of tomorrow. Serving in nearly
    every zip code, and answering the call in nearly every corner of the
    globe, the National Guard remains Always Ready, Always There!
    Army Guard SNAPSHOT
      --Provides the Army 39% of its operational forces
      --334,575 Soldiers
      --8 divisions
      --27 Brigade Combat Teams
      --2 Special Forces groups
      --1 Security Force Assistance Brigade
      --42 multifunctional brigades
      --56 functional support brigades and groups
      --13 command & control headquarters
      --24,687 buildings, 1,397 firing ranges, and 110 training centers in
            2,416 communities.
    Air Guard SNAPSHOT
      --Provides the Air Force 30% of its operational forces.
      --108,100 Airmen across 90 wings.
        Manpower contribution to 5 core areas:
      --10% of Air, Space and Cyber Superiority.
      --13% of Command and Control/Intelligence, Surveillance and
            Reconnaissance.
      --40% of Agile Combat Support.
      --20% of Rapid Global Mobility.
      --17% of Global Strike.
    1,053 Air Guard Aircraft
      --Provides 36% of Air Force's tanker capability.
      --Provides 26% of Air Force's fighter/attack capability.
      --Provides 30% of Air Force's strategic/tactical airlift capability.
      --Operates 15 of 16 Aerospace Control Alert sites.
      --Provides 13% of Air Force's overseas MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial
            vehicle capability.
                            fighting america's wars
    Force for the Future
      --The National Guard has supported more than one million overseas
            mobilizations to Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, the Balkans,
            Guantanamo Bay, the Sinai, and other overseas locations since
            9/11.
      --National Guard Soldiers and Airmen served more than 10.2 million
            personnel days supporting warfight missions in 2020.
      --More than 20,000 National Guard Soldiers and Airmen are currently
            deployed in support of missions in Afghanistan, Kuwait,
            Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, Ukraine, Poland, Kosovo, Eastern
            Europe, the Horn of Africa, Central and South America, and the
            Sinai Peninsula.
      --Two National Guard brigades will deploy to the National Training
            Center in Ft. Irwin, Calif. this year: Mississippi Army Guard's
            155th Armored Brigade Combat Team in June; and Oklahoma's 45th
            Infantry Brigade Combat Team in July.
      --Three National Guard brigades will deploy to the Joint Readiness
            Training Center in Ft. Polk, La. this year: Ohio's 37th
            Infantry Brigade Combat Team in June; Arkansas's 39th Infantry
            Brigade Combat Team in July; and Indiana's Security Force
            Assistance Brigade in August.
    Overseas Presence
      --The Louisiana Army Guard's 256th Infantry Brigade Combat Team is
            deployed to Iraq providing Security Forces and conducting
            Advise and Assist missions with Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) and
            partner units in the AOR to enhance capabilities and secure
            critical sites in support of Operation Inherent Resolve.
      --The Illinois National Guard's 33rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team is
            deployed to Ukraine providing training to the Armed Forces of
            Ukraine to help them develop defense capabilities and build
            interoperability.
      --The South Carolina Army Guard's 678th Air Defense Artillery Brigade
            is providing command and control to Air and Missile Defense in
            the U.S. European Command in support of Operation Atlantic
            Resolve.
      --The South Dakota Army Guard's 196th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade is
            deployed to the Horn of Africa working with the Suriname
            Defense Force to promote regional security, dissuade conflict,
            and protect U.S. and coalition interests.
      --More than 1,200 Guard Airmen from 48 units served in nine different
            locations while filling 33% of the Total Force's civil engineer
            needs overseas last year.
      --The Air Guard is providing 25% of the Total Force's Distributed
            Common Ground System (a system that produces military
            intelligence for multiple military branches) capacity in direct
            support of the overseas Combatant Commanders.
      --The Texas Army Guard's 36th Infantry Division deployed to Kuwait
            and provides division-level command and control of Army forces
            in Kuwait and Jordan in support of Operation Spartan Shield.
            The Ohio Army Guard's 16th Engineer Brigade is also supporting
            Spartan Shield by providing engineering expertise, project
            management, and command of subordinate engineer battalions.
      --The Pennsylvania Army Guard's 28th Expeditionary Combat Aviation
            Brigade is providing command and control of all Army Aviation
            units in Kuwait in support of Operation Spartan Shield and
            Operation Inherent Resolve.
        --Nearly 1,500 Army Guard Soldiers and 64 aircraft are supporting
                U.S. Central Command aviation missions in Afghanistan and
                Kuwait.
                             securing the homeland
      --National Guard Soldiers and Airmen spent a record 10.9 million days
            serving their communities supporting missions such as COVID-19,
            wildfires, civil disturbances and hurricanes.
      --Air Guard personnel protect the airspace over America by operating
            15 of the 16 NORAD Aerospace Control Alert sites and the
            Eastern and Western air defense sectors. Guard ACA pilots flew
            2,058 sorties in FY 2020--1,825 scramble sorties (practice and
            real-world) and 233 Operation Noble Eagle sorties.
      --To allow effective communication between local, state and federal
            emergency agencies, National Guard Joint Incident Site
            Communications Capability teams set-up and operated a ``self-
            contained communications package'' at the Super Bowl and
            numerous other major events and exercises last year.
      --The 57 full-time National Guard Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil
            Support Teams carried out 2,475 missions in FY 2020 ranging
            from no-notice call-outs to identify substances; to supporting
            national security events; to training and assisting state
            partners. CSTs can typically respond in 1 to 3 hours.
      --The National Guard runs 17 battalion-sized (nearly 2,400 people)
            Chemical, Biological Radiological Nuclear (CBRN) Enhanced
            Response Force Packages or CERFPs in 17 states capable of
            responding in 3 to 6 hours.
      --National Guard Soldiers and Airmen comprise 55 percent of the
            Defense Department's chemical, biological, radiological,
            nuclear (CBRN) response capability.
    Cyber Centric
      --There are more than 3,900 Army and Air National Guard personnel
            serving in 59 DOD cyber units in 40 states.
      --1,219 Guard members detected 57 ``vulnerability events'' while
            supporting the Nov. 3, 2020 national election. They provided
            their state's IT support; vulnerability assessments; network
            monitoring; vehicle/foot traffic control; and COVID-19
            screening and sanitizing.
      --290 National Guard cyber warriors from 15 states also responded to
            33 reported state cyber events in 2020.
    Taking Drugs off the Streets
      --More than $11.2 billion of illicit drugs, weapons, property, and
            currency are off the streets thanks in part to the efforts of
            over 2,600 National Guard Counterdrug professionals assisting
            civilian law enforcement agencies throughout the 50 states, 3
            territories and DC.
      --National Guard counterdrug operations supported 1,362 law
            enforcement agencies and over 439 community-based
            organizations.
      --Five National Guard counterdrug schools trained nearly 60,000 law
            enforcement personnel in 2020, using subject matter experts who
            are able to draw upon their military education, operational
            experience, and knowledge of DOD capabilities.
    10.9 Million Days
        When COVID, Wildfires, Civil Disturbances and Severe Weather hit
    home in 2020, Guard members in each state, territory and DC left their
    jobs and families to serve their communities--responding in record
    fashion.
    Pandemic Response
      --632 Million: Meals provided by Guard members in 2020.
      --36.9 million: Masks made by Guard members in 2020.
      --16.1 million: People tested or screened for COVID-19 virus by Guard
            members in 2020.
      --11.5 million: Miles driven to deliver supplies in 2020.
      --2.4 million: Calls answered, made at call centers in 2020.
      --71,259: Facilities deep cleaned by Guard members in 2020.
      --19,211: Increased bed capacity at Alternate Care Facilities in
            2020.
    Fighting Fires
      --Guard members from 19 states logged 155,108 days responding to
            52,834 wildfires covering over 9.5 million acres in 2020--
            Maryland is 7.9 million acres.
      --C-130 crews, equipped with U.S. Forest Service Modular Airborne
            Fire Fighting Systems (MAFFS), flew 470 missions and logged 549
            flying hours while dropping over 1.3 million gallons of fire
            retardant.
      --Air Guard RC-26 fixed-wing and MQ-9 Remotely Piloted Aircraft crews
            logged over 2,000 hours providing real-time fire mapping;
            evacuation route identification; and new fire/hot spot
            detection.
      --Two California National Guard helicopter crews were awarded the
            Distinguished Flying Cross for bravery by the President after
            saving over 200 stranded residents from the Creek Fire.
    Supporting Peace
      --Guard members from 38 states logged 627,659 days supporting law
            enforcement agencies in 2020 by providing crowd control,
            monument/infrastructure security, traffic control, and roving
            patrol missions.
      --At its peak on June 7, 2020, 43,351 Guard Soldiers and Airmen were
            providing civil disturbance support.
    Bringing Calm after the Storms
      --Guard members from 22 states supported 22 severe weather events in
            2020 and a record 12 named storms.
      --During hurricane responses, Guard members rescued 9,812 people; and
            distributed over 6 million meals, 12.1 million gallons of
            water, 1.6 million bags of ice, and nearly 319,000 tarps in
            2020. They also cleared over 2,700 miles of road to assist
            recovery efforts.
      --Guard members logged 118,748 personnel days responding to
            hurricanes and tropical storms; 36,767 days for earthquakes;
            11,340 days for floods; 5,106 days for severe weather; 3,502
            days for tornadoes; and 1,174 days for winter storms in 2020.
                             building partnerships
      --Competition with rivals demands greater cooperation with partners.
            The National Guard's network of 89 allies and partners through
            the State Partnership Program (SPP) provides our nation a great
            advantage and directly supports competition objectives outlined
            in the National Defense Strategy.
      --Through the SPP, National Guard and partner nation personnel learn
            together, work together, and prepare--if necessary--to fight
            together.
      --National Guard Soldiers and Airmen conducted more than 1,200 SPP
            activities worldwide in support of Geographic Combatant
            Commands in FY20.
        --Since 9/11, 27 SPP partner countries have contributed troops to
                coalition operations--15 of those SPP countries deployed
                forces alongside their National Guard partners.
      --The SPP is a cost-effective program that provides DOD decision-
            makers a proven tool to help address today's security
            challenges and a wide range of potential future threats.
      --The National Guard's reputation in disaster response at home and
            proven combat capability overseas makes it an attractive
            partner to nations faced with military and non-military
            threats.
        --The National Guard plans to grow two new partnerships per year.
      --In the homeland, planning and training with local, state and
            federal responders has resulted in unified and rapid responses
            to man-made and natural disasters--ultimately, saving more
            lives and property.
                         soldiers, airmen and families
      --Army National Guard Child and Youth Services conducted over 2,598
            events for over 66,800 National Guard youth ages 6-18 in an
            effort to promote resilience and sustain the quality of life
            through high-quality support services and enrichment programs.
            Coordinators transitioned 202 events into virtual/online
            programming that might have otherwise been canceled as a result
            of COVID-19.
      --The Air National Guard Home Community Care Program is available at
            over 42 Air National Guard Wings with state accredited
            providers offering free child care to Guard members. In FY20,
            the Home Community Care Program, provided over 27,000 hours of
            child care, spending $290K, in support of Air National Guard
            families.
      --The Joint Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program helped over 31,229
            service members and families connect with their local community
            support services before, during, and after deployments by
            overseeing 440 nationwide events in 2020. The Army National
            Guard conducted 419 events and supported 26,319 Soldiers and
            family members, while the Air National Guard conducted 21
            events for 4,980 Airman and their families.
      --The NGB Employment Support Program reached 102,141 Guard members
            and provided assistance to 45,385 Guard members, their
            families, veterans and other reserve component members seeking
            jobs. The effort resulted in over 4,100 job referrals and
            nearly 900 hires. Each state has a program support specialist.
      --The Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve is a DOD program
            established in 1972 to promote cooperation and understanding
            between Reserve Component Service members and their civilian
            employers. The network of 3,300 volunteers across the nation
            bring a vast wealth of experience to assist members resolve
            conflicts arising from an employee's military commitment.
      --Transition Assistance Advisors impacted the lives of nearly 189,026
            service members and veterans in FY20 by providing support,
            advocacy and information. Advisors are located at each National
            Guard Joint Forces Headquarters to provide resource and
            referral information for such issues as education, employment,
            VA healthcare enrollment, and disability claims.
      --The Army Guard provided over $36 million in Federal Tuition
            Assistance benefits to more than 19,000 Soldiers enrolled in
            over 71,000 courses in FY20.
      --The National Guard's Strong Bonds conducted over 630 virtual
            retreats and events for over 17,600 Soldiers, Airmen, and their
            families to increase family readiness and resiliency through
            relationship education and training.
      --Army Guard Survivor Outreach Service coordinators assisted 46,708
            surviving family members in FY20, an increase of 2% over last
            fiscal year.
      --The National Guard Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Program
            provided training, services and advocacy to victims of sexual
            assault with its 134 full-time, nationally certified Sexual
            Assault Response Coordinators. There are also 1,618 part-time,
            nationally certified Sexual Assault Response Coordinators and
            victim advocates.
      --The Army Guard's team rendered honors at 94,285 service member
            funerals in FY20. The funeral honors team is projected to
            conduct over 104,147 requests to render burial honors for
            veterans and retirees in FY21.
      --Due to the Army National Guard Resilience program's robust training
            platform, they received HQDA's only exception-to-policy to
            conduct a 2-week Master Resilience Training certification
            remotely during the pandemic. The team used the lessons learned
            to conduct 9 one-week and two-week trainer certification
            courses, helping to offset attrition caused by 3 canceled
            classes due to the pandemic. The Resilience program trained 648
            total Master Resilience Trainers in FY20, bringing the total
            number of MRTs trained to 7,297.
      --The MRT schoolhouse in Wisconsin is now certified to bring any
            Resilience, Suicide Prevention and Substance Abuse training to
            the 50 states, 3 territories and DC upon request. Three Army
            Guard MRT Mobile Training Teams provided Resilience, Risk
            Reduction, and Suicide Prevention training 25 times last year.
      --The Army National Guard provides 54 Suicide Prevention Program
            managers, one to each state, territory, and DC. They provided
            advanced training to 76,479 Soldiers and family members in
            FY20, enabling them to recognize the signs of suicide, giving
            them the skills to intervene appropriately, and connect those
            in need to military and community resources.
      --The Army National Guard provides between 1-to-4 contracted Risk
            Reduction and Prevention Coordinators in each state, territory
            and DC to help commanders assess high-risk behaviors that are
            counterproductive to readiness--such as substance abuse, sexual
            crimes, family violence, and suicide. Despite COVID-19
            restrictions, coordinators were able to survey over 150,000
            Soldiers in FY20, resulting in remote drills, risk mitigation
            plans for 2,588 units, and nearly 3,000 prevention training
            events.
    Resilient Warriors
      --The Chief, National Guard Bureau established NGB Warrior Resilience
            and Fitness to ensure multiple programs supporting the well-
            being and resilience of Guard members and their families are
            synchronized into a holistic and integrated model that
            leverages the Total Force Fitness framework.
        --Warrior Resilience and Fitness developed a Compendium of Warrior
                Resilience and Fitness Strategies with over 167 research-
                informed programs aimed at preventing and responding to
                suicide, sexual assault, and substance abuse.
        --Warrior Resilience and Fitness Innovation Incubator provides
                funding and technical assistance to 22 pilots across 29
                states and territories to assist with implementation and
                evaluation of programs that promote resilience and prevent
                harmful behaviors.
        --NGB signed a memorandum with the Veteran's Administration to
                provide greater access to behavioral health services for NG
                members during drill weekends. The initiative has seen an
                increase in the number of NG members receiving services
                during drill weekends (14%) and at Vet Centers (44%).
        --SPRINGboard is the first NG-specific readiness tool that will
                help leaders make more informed decisions about the health
                of Service members.
        --NGB partnered with the Uniform Services University and Purdue
                University to train community-based behavioral health
                providers in military culture. More than 800 providers have
                received specialized training.
        --NGB signed a memorandum with Psych Hub to provide NG members with
                access to the COVID-19 Mental Health Resource Hub that has
                over 600 videos and podcasts that support mental health and
                reduce stigma about seeking care.
        --NGB and the Marines partnered on the first Innovation,
                Prevention, and Outreach (IPO) forum to improve behavioral
                health, access to care, and overall well-being for
                geographically dispersed Reserve Component members and
                their families.
    Give Teens a Second Chance
      --Forty National Guard Youth ChalleNGe and 5 Job ChalleNGe academies
            across the country have graduated more than 187,923 cadets
            since the program's inception in 1993. The 5-1/2 month, Youth
            Challenge in-residence course takes at- risk 16- to 18-year-
            olds and teaches them the life skills and self-discipline
            needed to succeed, while helping them to earn credits toward
            high school diplomas or prepare them for a GED. The 5-month Job
            Challenge in-residence program allows some Youth ChalleNGe
            graduates to obtain job certifications, credentials or
            apprenticeships to facilitate obtaining living wage jobs.
      --Nearly 83% of all ChalleNGe graduates earn their high school
            diploma, GED or obtain college credits; nearly 32% go on to
            attend additional college or other schools.
      --The per-student-cost for a ChalleNGe graduate averages $21,450
            compared to the almost $63,000 per-year cost for a youth in
            juvenile custody.
    25 Years in Space
      --The National Guard provides our nation and DOD partners a proven
            capability by supplying 100 percent of its unit-equipped,
            surge-to-war operational reserve forces.
      --Currently, the Air National Guard provides 60 percent of the Space
            Force's offensive space electronic warfare capability.
      --The Air National Guard operates the nation's only survivable and
            endurable strategic missile warning/nuclear detection
            capability and provides the nation's strategic missile warning
            on the High Frontier.
      --In support of DOD space missions, NG members conduct training that
            bolsters space capabilities and enables homeland protection.
      --The Air National Guard's 14 space units in 7 states (AK, CA, CO,
            FL, HI, NY, and OH) and one territory (Guam) are conducting
            daily missions in support of global Combatant Command
            operations.
      --Long-standing partnerships and civilian employment with state and
            local space entities, in both the public and private sectors,
            allows for access, seamless integration and immediate response.

        Senator Tester. Thank you, General Hokanson.
        Next up, we have Vice Admiral John Mustin of the Navy
    Reserve.
    STATEMENT OF VICE ADMIRAL JOHN B. MUSTIN, CHIEF, U.S.
                NAVY RESERVE
        Admiral Mustin. Chairman Tester, Ranking Member Shelby, and
    Distinguished Members of the Subcommittee, thank you for the
    opportunity to appear before you today.
        It's my distinct honor to report to you on the status and
    the vision of America's Navy Reserve.
        I'd like to take this opportunity to recognize my wife Kim
    whose steadfast support through my nearly three-decade Navy
    career exemplifies the service and sacrifices typical of our
    military spouses.
        I'd also like to express my gratitude to Navy Reserve Force
    Master Chief Chris Coates, my partner and confidante, who
    tirelessly advocates for our enlisted Reserve sailors every
    day.
        This is also the perfect time to publicly thank my fellow
    Reserve service chiefs for their ongoing support, counsel,
    collaboration, and partnership.
        Finally, I'd like to recognize the 109,000 sailors, our
    nearly 500 dedicated civilians, the families who support them,
    and the thousands of employers who value and enable the service
    of our citizen sailors worldwide. They are all equally critical
    stakeholders in the success of our Navy Reserve.
        Your Navy Reserve sailors are flexible and responsive. This
    past year alone to address the coronavirus-19 pandemic, the
    Navy Reserve activated more than 7,000 sailors in direct
    support of the Nation's emergency response.
        I remain humbled by their agility, capability, and their
    sacrifices as well as the enduring support of their families
    and employers.
        Your Reserve force is also a strategic asset. Aligned with
    the National Defense Strategy, the Tristar Maritime Strategy,
    and the Chief of Naval Operations Navigation Plan, the Navy
    Reserve is at an inflection point, pivoting to develop
    essential strategic depth.
        This renewed maritime focus on integrated all-domain naval
    power will address the provocative behavior we experience daily
    from a rising China, a resurgent Russia, and other ambitious
    authoritarian states who seek to disturb global norms and the
    rules-based international order.
        To this end, the singular priority of the Navy Reserve is
    simple: warfighting readiness. Modernization of our equipment,
    training systems, and mobilization processes will generate
    efficiencies that enhance our contribution to the total force
    at an attractive resource-informed cost.
        To ensure our sailors are operating relevant modern
    equipment, procurement of the Juliet Variant to replace legacy
    C-130 aircraft is the Navy Reserve's Number 1 equipment
    priority. With an average age approaching three decades and a
    mission-capable rate of only 25 percent, the current C-130
    Tango Fleet is challenged to meet sustained fleet logistics
    requirements.
        With the mission-capable rate of nearly 75 percent, the KC-
    130 Juliette, on the other hand, would provide an additional
    $200 million per year in transportation cost savings to the
    Navy.
        Similarly, modernization of Navy Reserve high-end adversary
    aircraft is aligned with the Navy's divestment of legacy FN-18
    Hornets. Increasing Navy Reserve capability and capacity to
    support Navy adversary requirements will extend Active
    component strike fighter service life while concurrently
    enabling the dedication of precious fleet aircraft and flight
    hours to the fleet-specific operational missions they were
    purchased to perform.
        The totality of Navy Reserve modernization also includes
    enhancing the processes and systems employed to mobilize our
    sailors. For example, adaptive mobilization will increase
    current activation capacity 15-fold while reducing the
    mobilization timeline by over 80 percent, effectively
    activating the entire force in 30 days.
        Integral to this process is the implementation of the Navy
    personnel and pay system, NP-2, the single-most important
    administrative enhancement in decades, which will become
    operational in January of 2022.
        Your Reserve sailors are one team. Central and vital to the
    generation of critical enduring advantage are or people. The
    Navy Reserve continues to forge a culture of excellence based
    on the Navy's core values, honor, courage, and commitment, and
    our four core attributes.
        We're dedicated to fostering the diverse inclusive culture
    that generates our decisive warfighting advantage. They are a
    winning team and they are ready.
        That said, delivering surge and warfighting ready maritime
    forces to the total force would be impossible without your
    continued support. Specifically, we appreciate your support in
    the modernization efforts of the Reserve maritime, patrol, and
    reconnaissance capability. The acquisition of P-8 Alpha
    Aircraft ensures the Reserve force continues to deliver
    necessary operational strategic value across the force.
        Additional modernization efforts supported by the National
    Guard and Reserve Equipment Account, which is vital to ensuring
    the readiness and lethality of Reserve equipment, and
    ultimately the timely delivery of a fiscal year 2022
    appropriations bill will provide predictability to our sailors,
    to their families, to their employers, and, most importantly,
    to our global combatant commanders.
        Chairman Tester, Ranking Member Shelby, I remain humbled
    every day by the commitment and contribution of our citizen
    sailors, our dedicated civilians, and the supporting families
    that collectively are your Navy Reserve. They all serve our
    Nation with distinction every day in every theater around the
    globe 24/7/365. They are the sentinels of our security.
        Their readiness is not coincidental nor guaranteed and yet
    our Navy and our Nation are counting on them to be ready when
    called. With your continued support, they will deliver proudly
    and capably.
        I thank you for your support and attention and I welcome
    your questions.
        [The statement follows:]
               Prepared Statement of Vice Admiral John B. Mustin
        Chairman Tester, Vice Chairman Shelby, distinguished members of the
    Committee, it is my distinct pleasure to report to you today on the
    contribution of the Navy Reserve to the national defense, both as it
    stands today and as we urgently adapt to address future challenges.
        The Navy Reserve, like the Reserve Service of each other military
    branch, provides the strategic depth and surge capacity necessary to
    assure the security and prosperity of the United States, whenever and
    wherever needed. In the two decades since 9/11, the Navy Reserve has
    executed 93,362 mobilizations, with 69,449 individual Sailors
    responding to support the global war on terrorism and related military
    operations and contingencies. This past year, in response to the acute
    early phase of the Coronavirus-19 (COVID-19) pandemic, the Navy Reserve
    mobilized to support the missions of USNS COMFORT and USNS MERCY in New
    York and Los Angeles to relieve overburdened local hospitals. In total,
    the Navy Reserve has executed 7,310 activations as part of the nation's
    emergency response to the pandemic, and today nearly 900 Reserve
    Sailors are serving on active duty in support of COVID-19 related
    missions. These examples highlight the flexibility, readiness and value
    our citizen-Sailors provide. And yet, these significant contributions
    merely hint at what may be required from the Navy Reserve in a future
    conflict with a near-peer maritime competitor.
        As the President recently expressed in his Interim National
    Security Strategic Guidance, the United States must ``renew our
    enduring advantage'' in response to growing rivalries with China,
    Russia, and another authoritarian states. The Navy, in partnership with
    the Marine Corps and Coast Guard, is urgently adapting to generate
    Integrated All-Domain Naval Power to confront these and other emerging
    challenges, and the Navy Reserve is similarly transforming to prepare
    for the future. Last year, I issued the Navy Reserve Fighting
    Instructions, directing the
        Reserve Force to adapt to address the challenges authoritarian
    regimes pose to the free, open, rules-based international order we have
    enjoyed for decades. Firmly aligned with the Tri-Service Maritime
    Strategy and the Chief of Naval Operations' (CNO's) Navigation Plan
    (NAVPLAN), these Fighting Instructions make clear that my number one--
    and only--priority for the Navy Reserve is warfighting readiness.
        The focus on warfighting readiness begins with our people. The Navy
    Reserve will continue to foster a diverse, inclusive team of Sailors
    and Civilians who view respect as our cornerstone attribute. We
    recognize the critical importance of forging cohesive teams that
    succeed in cooperation, prevail in competition and win in conflict. We
    are actively addressing extremism and promoting a positive culture
    based on the Navy's core values of honor, courage, and commitment.
    Additionally, the Navy Reserve invests heavily in programs that provide
    services to those at risk for destructive behavior. With the Culture of
    Excellence Campaign as our foundation, we will continue to modernize
    the systems supporting our Sailors and target our investments to train
    a highly effective warfighting force.
        While central and critically important, our team of highly trained
    and motivated Sailors alone will not win the day in a modern conflict.
    Achieving warfighting readiness also demands that we provide our
    Sailors with cutting-edge warfare systems and equipment. For
    capabilities with relatively low peacetime operational requirements,
    the reserve component is a cost-effective alternative for providing
    surge capacity during a conflict. To ensure interoperability with the
    Navy and Joint Force, the Navy Reserve plans to acquire modern
    capabilities and to upgrade legacy platforms. As we have demonstrated
    for over a century, investment in Reserve equipment and capabilities
    provides the Navy with surge capacity for long-term strategic
    competition at a favorable, resource-informed cost.
        Our modern, highly trained fighting force must be capable of
    surging to the battle quickly. To that end, the Navy Reserve is
    modernizing its mobilization infrastructure to assure the ability to
    mobilize the entire Selected Reserve population--roughly 50,000
    Sailors--within 30 days. The design and implementation of a distributed
    activation process will rely on regional and local Navy Reserve
    Activities to mobilize Reserve Sailors directly to their wartime
    billets. Advanced data analytics will allow us to better predict and
    address the availability of Sailors for mobilization. We are also
    leveraging information technology to create efficiencies that enable
    operational capability for our geographically distributed force.
    Together, these changes will make the Selected Reserve more responsive
    and accessible to emergent crises and conflict.
        Timely, predictable and relevant funding from Congress is critical
    for the Navy Reserve to meet mission requirements and, as always, we
    are grateful for your continued support and enduring interest.
    Specifically, keeping the Reserve Personnel Navy account funded at
    President's Budget levels enables the Reserve Force to generate
    warfighting readiness through trained Sailors who are ready to fight
    and win in the early stages of conflict and sustain combat operations
    following the outbreak of hostilities. Continued Congressional support
    will ensure that the Navy Reserve provides relevant, modern capability
    and capacity and a resilient surge force today, and into the next
    decade and beyond.
    People
        Future conflicts will demand a great deal from the men and women of
    the Navy Reserve. Our Sailors, Civilians and the families who support
    them collectively embody a Culture of Excellence that makes a
    formidable fighting force. To provide a ready, capable force, we owe
    our Sailors exceptional training, modern equipment, and a network of
    support that enables them to balance civilian jobs, military
    requirements, and family obligations.
                Culture
        Consistent with the Chief of Naval Operations' direction, the Navy
    Reserve continues to nurture a Culture of Excellence and to develop the
    resiliency of the force, while eliminating destructive behavior of all
    kinds. The warfighting readiness of the Navy Reserve depends on a
    diverse force with varying perspectives, united by a firm resolve to
    uphold our core values of honor, courage and commitment. Our
    organization has no tolerance for discrimination, extremism, or sexual
    assault and sexual harassment. Similarly, we are committed to the
    mental wellness of our Sailors and addressing the complicated and
    tragic issue of suicide.
                        diversity, equity and inclusion
        The Navy Reserve is committed to cultivating diversity, equity and
    inclusion across the Force. This effort promotes organizational trust
    and transparency, and is a key factor in generating and maintaining
    warfighting readiness. To this end, the Navy Reserve played an active
    role in Task Force One Navy's efforts to identify and dismantle
    barriers to equality. We will continue to fortify a culture that values
    diversity and will inculcate the CNO's ten Signature Behaviors as a way
    of life for our Sailors and their families. These efforts leverage our
    differences and capitalize on individual strengths to create a cohesive
    and unified force where each Sailor's unique experiences, background
    and contributions are valued.
        In alignment with the Secretary of Defense's direction, the Navy
    Reserve is also committed to eliminating extremism in the Force. Our
    policies prohibit Reserve Sailors from participating in organizations
    that advance supremacist, extremist or criminal gang doctrine, ideology
    and causes. This prohibition includes organizations that advocate
    illegal discrimination or encourage the use of force to deprive
    individuals of their civil rights. Leaders in the Navy Reserve are
    empowered with the full range of disciplinary authority, including
    administrative separation and criminal prosecution, to deal with
    Sailors who engage in extremist activities. We are also incorporating
    screening for these behaviors and ideologies as new Sailors apply to
    join the Reserve Force. We value inclusion and will remove those
    individuals whose extreme views are contrary to the law or our
    standards of conduct.
                                sailor wellness
        Each Sailor, Civilian and family member is invaluable to our
    warfighting force, and we are dedicated to ensuring their wellness. The
    21st Century Sailor office provides the policy guidance for the support
    network, programs, resources, training, and skills needed for our
    Sailors and families, both active and reserve, to overcome adversity
    and thrive. Tailored to our deploying and returning Sailors, the Yellow
    Ribbon Reintegration Program provides preemptive services, such as
    Returning Warrior Workshops, Deployment Readiness Training, and
    Deployment Health Assessments to address challenges facing Reserve
    Sailors and their families while serving the nation. We also provide
    the Psychological Health Outreach Program (PHOP) as a resource to
    enhance the resiliency of our Reserve Sailors. PHOP counselors and
    coordinators provide Resiliency Check-In events to new Sailors and
    Commands, enabling one-on-one mental wellness assessments and
    electronic behavioral health screening for immediate access to
    services.
        In addition to programs that promote Sailor well-being, we provide
    safety nets for those Sailors who are struggling with depression or
    post-traumatic stress, and who may be at risk for suicide. To prevent
    such tragedy, we provide easily accessible resiliency-building
    resources, promote seeking support as a sign of strength, and encourage
    the connectedness of our people. Sailor Assistance and Intercept for
    Life, an evidence-based suicide prevention program, provides rapid
    assistance, ongoing risk assessment, and care coordination and
    reintegration assistance for activated Reserve Sailors who have
    demonstrated suicide related behavior. The prevention of suicide is an
    ``all hands on deck'' effort.
                eliminating sexual assault and sexual harassment
        All members of our team perform at their best when the prevailing
    culture is one of inclusion, diversity, and respect. Conduct contrary
    to these values undermines our readiness and impacts our ability to
    execute warfighting missions. Sexual assault and sexual harassment are
    crimes that must be eliminated. We are breaking down the barriers that
    lead to non-reporting, and training all Sailors on the programs
    available to assist them in addressing sexual assault and sexual
    harassment. The Sexual Assault Prevention and Response program is an
    integral piece of our concerted effort to eliminate sexual crimes in
    the Force. Leaders at every level are responsible and accountable for
    the culture of their command and our resolve to eliminate sexual
    assault is focused and indefatigable.
    Supporting Our Sailors
        Just as our Sailors cannot thrive without a positive culture, they
    would be hamstrung without practical policies and processes that enable
    their service. To that end, we are streamlining pay and personnel
    processes that govern how we bring Reserve Sailors onto active duty and
    how they are paid. Duty status reform, incentive pay and bonuses, and
    the Navy Personnel and Pay (NP2) system are the practical means that
    retain the best Sailors and help forge an effective warfighting force.
                               duty status reform
        For the past 25 years, efforts to reform the complex system of RC
    duty statuses have garnered attention without closure. Recently, in
    response to urgent tasking to combat the Coronavirus pandemic, we
    placed Navy Reserve Sailors in important roles, but in a variety of
    dissimilar order types. The varied benefits associated with myriad duty
    statuses makes it possible for us to compensate Sailors differently,
    and to provide dissimilar protections, for equivalent work--a situation
    that highlights the need for reform, simplification and
    standardization. The Navy Reserve supports the Department of Defense's
    efforts to consolidate and simplify the approximately 30 existing
    Reserve duty status legal authorities. This consolidation will address
    imbalances and disruptions in pay and benefits, reduce overall
    complexity, and ensure programming and budgeting processes align to the
    categories, purposes, and duration of the orders.
               navy reserve special and incentive pay and bonuses
        The Navy Reserve must recruit and retain Sailors with the skills
    required to compete and win in today's challenging security
    environment. Recognizing that many of our Sailors' specialized skills
    are highly sought after in the civilian marketplace, we provide special
    and incentive pay and bonuses to attract Sailors in hard-to-fill
    specialties. The current bonus structure for Reserve incentive programs
    is critical to mitigating manning shortfalls in specific, high-demand
    skills and paygrades. Sustained Congressional support of predictable,
    critical RPN funding is necessary to ensure the Navy Reserve can
    attract and deliver the talent we need to prevail in a modern conflict.
                             navy personnel and pay
        Pay problems, largely caused by antiquated pay systems, continue to
    challenge and frustrate our Reserve Sailors and their families. An
    integral component of the MyNavy HR Transformation, the Navy Personnel
    and Pay (NP2) system offers a modernized pay system that will enhance
    the quality of life for our citizen-Sailors while serving our nation.
    NP2 will integrate active and reserve component personnel and pay
    systems into a single Navy system. Specifically, in 2022, NP2 will
    achieve Initial Operating Capability for Treasury Direct Disbursement,
    with continued development of Personnel products and capabilities to
    achieve Full Operating Capability. The resulting changes will enable
    Reserve Sailors to seamlessly transition on and off active duty,
    without a disruption in pay. A seamless transition to active duty
    provides the efficiency necessary to mobilize large numbers of Sailors
    in a short time, as may be anticipated when surging forces to confront
    a near-peer rival. Similarly, this system will enable seamless
    demobilization processing without the burdensome, manual pay processes
    that characterize today's workflow.
    Training the Warfighter
        Changing global dynamics and growing rivalries with authoritarian
    states demand a renewed focus on maritime tactics, techniques and
    procedures. With an inclusive culture and supporting systems as a
    foundation, we will emphasize training our Sailors to develop the
    critical warfighting skills required to prevail in high-end conflict.
    We are assessing and updating policies to focus our Sailors on training
    for their mobilization billets, while reducing land-based individual
    augmentations and distracting administrative commitments unrelated to
    the Navy Reserve's traditional maritime role.
                             mobilization to billet
        Following the tragic events of September 11, 2001, the Navy began
    augmenting the Joint Force with Sailors who deployed as Joint
    Individual Augments (IAs) to alleviate land forces' high operational
    tempo during Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
    Initially, the Navy sourced IAs from both the active and reserve
    components equally based on mission suitability. Over time, however,
    the reserve component assumed the majority of IA mobilizations.
    Specifically, in the last three years (FY18, 19 and 20), the RC sourced
    over 76% of the Navy's IA requirements, many outside the maritime
    domain. During this same period, the Navy Reserve has adhered to the
    Department of Defense's mobilization to dwell ratio policy. Under this
    policy, following a one year deployment, each Sailor requires Secretary
    of Defense approval to deploy with their unit if less than four years
    from the previous mobilization period, resulting in a loss of strategic
    depth and reduction in the capability and readiness of their unit. At
    present, with 9% of the force mobilized on IA missions and 18%
    sequestered in dwell, 27% of the Force is effectively fenced from surge
    mobilization as a result of IA demand. Eliminating involuntary, non-
    maritime individual augmentation requirements will restore strategic
    depth, and more effectively focus the Reserve Force on critical naval
    roles at sea and ashore.
        Future conflict with our maritime rivals may come with minimal
    advanced warning, leaving little time to prepare. Our renewed focus on
    potential maritime conflict recognizes that a rapid response requires
    Selected Reserve Sailors to be trained and proficient in the functions
    and tasks associated with their programmed wartime billets. This
    mobilization-to-billet concept demands all Selected Reserve personnel
    train to the requirements of their warfighting role, ready to
    contribute to the fight in the earliest stages of conflict. Under a
    train-mobilize-deploy model, Reserve units will mobilize and deploy
    together as a unit, rather than individually, to conduct the
    warfighting missions they will have trained in advance to perform.
    Capability and Capacity
        To confront near-peer maritime rivals, the Navy Reserve will adapt
    its Fleet Design to provide the Navy with a cost-effective,
    sustainable, warfighting and surge-ready Total Force, structured to
    prevail in future competition and conflict. A critical aspect of this
    transformation is modernization of legacy platforms, systems, and
    equipment to ensure alignment with the latest Navy, Marine Corps, and
    Coast Guard operating concepts. The future fight may also require the
    strategic depth provided by our Individual Ready Reserve (IRR), and as
    such, we are updating our policies, systems, and processes to enhance
    IRR accessibility and effectiveness.
                Future Fleet Design
        The Navy Reserve is optimizing its force structure to develop
    warfighting capabilities that generate the strategic depth required for
    long-term strategic competition. My Fighting Instructions directed
    Reserve leaders, in close coordination with their active component
    counterparts, to assess the requirement for additional Reserve
    capability or capacity to address future challenges. For example,
    increasing complexity and the prospect of global conflict will require
    Fleet commanders to provide command and control of a large number of
    distributed Navy and Joint forces. Innovative Navy operating concepts
    call for distributed operations in contested environments, presenting
    logistics and communications challenges where peacetime solutions that
    leverage civilian supply chains and communications infrastructure may
    prove unreliable. Manning shortfalls in critical areas in the active
    component, combined with an intractable maintenance backlog, may
    challenge the Navy's ability to surge fleet forces in response to a
    crisis. The contest in the space and cyber domains and a greater
    leveraging of unmanned systems are transforming the nature of modern
    warfare, requiring specialized knowledge and skills. We will base
    decisions to place such capabilities or capacities in the reserve
    component on the Reserve Force's ability to deliver these capabilities
    at a reduced cost, within acceptable risk, relative to the active
    component.
                Equipment Modernization
        The Tri-Service Maritime Strategy and CNO's NAVPLAN mandate that
    the Navy Reserve keep pace with our active duty counterparts to provide
    seamless integration with the force. We are actively pursuing
    modernization of the Reserve Force to ensure interoperability between
    active and reserve platforms and systems, and divesting legacy systems
    that have exceeded their useful life. Last year's purchase of Reserve
    P-8 aircraft to recapitalize two aging--but highly operational--P-3C
    squadrons was a significant step forward in this endeavor.
                      navy unique fleet essential airlift
        Since World War II, the Navy has relied on aviation combat
    logistics to enable the expeditionary requirements associated with
    global naval operations. Operated entirely by the Navy Reserve, Navy
    Unique Fleet Essential Airlift consists of 30 C/KC-130T and 17 C-40A
    aircraft that provide the Navy's sole source of organic intra-theater
    air logistics. These platforms are capable of providing oversized cargo
    (F-35 engines, AMRAAM and Harpoon missiles, submarine masts, etc.) to
    forward-deployed and expeditionary Naval Forces, a critical link in the
    warfighting supply chain. Last year, fleet logistics (VR) squadrons
    flew 22,707 flight hours and transported 111,625 passengers and 22.2
    million pounds of cargo for the Navy and the Department of Defense.
    Executing these missions generated a cost avoidance of nearly $1.0
    billion per year relative to alternative means of transportation.
        At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Navy Reserve VR squadrons
    ensured the continuity of Navy training pipelines, safely flying
    Sailors between training sites when commercial options were reduced or
    unavailable. Supporting global operations, VR squadrons also
    transported personnel between U.S. overseas bases around the world.
    Specifically, C-130 missions increased 7.5% (from 817 missions to 878),
    while flight hours increased 16.6% (from 7,922 to 9,235 hours). Even
    with the increased execution of flight hours and missions, demand
    continues to increase for C-130 lift, with unmet lift requests
    reflecting a gap between demand and capacity. To date, FY21 indicates
    an even greater demand for cargo this year than in FY19 and FY20.
        Procurement of the KC-130J to replace the legacy C/KC-130T is the
    Navy Reserve's top equipment priority. Transitioning from legacy
    airframes to the modern KC-130J aircraft is necessary to fill critical
    capability and capacity gaps and ensure interoperability with our
    active and reserve component Marine Corps and Air Force partners, who
    have already transitioned to the KC-130J. Every mission capable
    aircraft generates an average of $48.6 million in cost avoidance for
    the transport of equipment. The current Mission Capable rates of the C/
    KC-130T average 25% of Total Aircraft Inventory, and required
    modifications of that legacy airframe will limit aircraft availability
    to a maximum of 33% until 2030. Comparatively, we expect to realize a
    70% mission capable rate for the KC-130J which will provide an
    additional $200 million per year in transportation and cost savings to
    the Navy. The current C/KC-130T fleet struggles to meet current fleet
    demand and lacks the required capability and capacity to meet wartime
    intra-theater logistics requirements, a situation best remedied through
    recapitalization.
                          aviation adversary training
        The Reserve Tactical Support Wing (TSW) maintains 31 F-5N/F
    aircraft to provide low-to-mid level threat replication. These aircraft
    are split between two squadrons: VFC-111 at Naval Air Station (NAS) Key
    West, Florida, and VFC-13 at NAS Fallon, Nevada. In order to increase
    Adversary capacity, the Navy purchased 11 F-5E/F aircraft from
    Switzerland in FY20. Prior to delivery, these aircraft will receive
    modern avionics and an airframe reconfiguration to match the current
    active Navy airframe configuration. These 11 aircraft will deliver to
    TSW squadrons from 2022-2025 as F-5N+/F+, increasing both capacity and
    capability.
        TSW currently provides critical high-end Adversary support to the
    Fleet with 27 F/A18A-D aircraft assigned to VFA-204 at NAS Joint
    Reserve Base New Orleans, Louisiana, and VFC-12 at NAS Oceana,
    Virginia. Due to the extremely high projected cost per flight hour
    (+$44,000) of these ``Legacy Hornets,'' the Navy is accelerating
    divestment from the F/A-18A-D aircraft. VFC-12's transition from the F/
    A-18A-D Hornet to the Block I FA-18E/F Super Hornet in FY21 is the
    first step towards accelerating Legacy Hornet divestment. Because there
    is an insufficient quantity of F/A-18E/F Super Hornet aircraft to
    recapitalize the entire F/A-18A-D fleet assigned to TSW, a plan has
    been proposed to replace the F/A-18C with F-16 aircraft from the United
    States Air Force and Air National Guard. Providing the Fleet with
    advanced, high- fidelity Adversary support will require future funding
    to further modernize these aircraft with threat representative
    capabilities such as Infrared Search and Track Systems and the
    evolution of the Adversary data link known as RedNet.
        Within the next decade, 62% of the Navy Reserve's current Adversary
    aircraft will be retired due to the high cost of each service hour, or
    because they have reached the end of their service life.
    Recapitalization and expansion of Adversary capacity in the Navy
    Reserve presents a cost-effective, sustainable solution to develop
    warfighting readiness. In FY20, active component Strike Fighter
    squadrons flew 13,129 hours of Adversary support, generating more than
    half of the total Navy Adversary hours while adding costly flight hours
    on inventory-limited fleet aircraft. Flying more Adversary hours in the
    Reserve increases service life of those active Fleet Strike Fighter
    aircraft and at the same time reduces overhead operational costs. As
    such, increasing Navy Reserve support to Navy Adversary requirements
    will improve active component Strike Fighter service life, while
    enabling the dedication of Fleet flight hours to train for warfighting
    readiness.
    Warfighting Capacity: Individual Ready Reserve Management
        A highly trained, well-designed Selected Reserve with the latest
    equipment may still be insufficient to confront our maritime rivals. In
    global conflict, the Navy will require ready access to the additional
    capacity and talent resident in the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR). The
    Navy's IRR consists of 41,000 trained Sailors with previous service in
    the active component or Selected Reserve, now serving in a non-pay,
    non-participation status. IRR Sailors have residual military service
    obligations and are available for Selected Reserve accessions, as well
    as mobilization to support Navy and Joint operations. The emergence of
    COVID-19 provided an opportunity to re-imagine how we employ the IRR,
    prioritize and facilitate participation, and examine our abilities to
    leverage resident skills to meet warfighting requirements. In alignment
    with Navy Reserve Force initiatives and the Chief of Naval Personnel,
    we are exploring programmatic changes that enable proactive management
    of the IRR to improve readiness and reconstitute the strategic depth of
    the Total Force.
    Mobilization Infrastructure and Technology
        A growing rivalry with near-peer maritime competitors demands the
    capability to rapidly surge forces for conflict. The Navy Reserve is
    adapting our mobilization processes and leveraging Information
    Technology to meet this demand.
                Total Force Mobilization
        The Navy Reserve is transitioning from a mobilization process
    tailored to meet Joint IA demands associated with the global war on
    terrorism, to one that accelerates access to the reserve component by
    providing greater throughput suitable for the demands of an evolving
    security environment. This new process, known as Adaptive Mobilization,
    requires achieving efficiencies in Full Time Support (FTS) manpower
    across geographically distributed mobilization centers. Realignment of
    selected Navy Operational Support Centers (NOSCs), and the Sailors who
    staff them, is necessary to realize this efficiency.
                             adaptive mobilization
        Surging to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Navy Reserve first
    operationalized the Adaptive Mobilization concept in the face of real-
    world urgent demands. Nearly 1,000 Sailors mobilized through their
    local Navy Reserve Activity rather than through a single, centralized
    processing site as Sailors had done for the last decade. This change
    eliminates the bottleneck associated with the legacy process and
    promises strategically significant improvements in accessing the force
    in large-scale global conflict.
                  navy operational support center realignment
        The Navy Reserve maintains at least one Navy Operational Support
    Center (NOSC) in each of the 50 states and two US territories. This
    presence has historically provided Navy representation in communities
    far from fleet concentration areas. To achieve the accessibility
    improvements promised by Adaptive Mobilization, however, the current
    infrastructure profile requires realignment. A rigorous review of all
    122 NOSCs identified opportunities for consolidation to reapply FTS
    manpower for the Adaptive Mobilization model. Closure decisions will be
    based on criteria that includes the presence of other NOSCs in close
    proximity, whether the center is on a military facility, changes in the
    local Selected Reserve population, the age of the facilities, and
    operating and repair costs. Should any NOSC be identified for
    consolidation, we will redistribute the FTS staff to support
    implementation of the Adaptive Mobilization model across the force.
        These changes will significantly accelerate our ability to surge
    Sailors to the fight and meet warfighting requirements. Further, they
    simultaneously reduce sustained force protection risk, administrative
    redundancies, and operating and maintenance costs. Additionally,
    consolidation will mitigate the inherent risk to aging infrastructure
    from forces such as climate change. For example, in FY21, we spent
    $600,000 for hurricane damage and repairs, and there are repairs
    remaining from the FY21 Texas freeze and other hurricane disasters.
    Closing a select few NOSCs will capture cost savings, reduce
    redundancy, divest aging infrastructure, and allow strategic investment
    in the redistribution of Full Time Support manpower to support Adaptive
    Mobilization processes. NOSC realignment will better position the Navy
    Reserve to adapt to meet the changing needs of the global security
    environment.
    Information Technology
        The Navy Reserve leverages information technology (IT) capabilities
    to enable the training and readiness of a geographically distributed
    force and has begun to employ data analytics to achieve greater
    efficiencies for force mobilization.
         cloud computing, mobility innovations and digital capabilities
        The Navy Reserve's strategy for information technology provides
    approximately 59,000 geographically dispersed Ready Reservists world-
    wide access to critical IT business systems. The strategy emphasizes
    improving efficiency and lethality through three core technological
    advances: Cloud Computing, Mobility Innovations and Digital
    Capabilities. Secure mobile applications, innovative technological
    solutions that simplify processes, and the use of data science to
    inform strategic decisions are force enablers that keep the Reserve
    Force operating in a technologically advanced battle space. During the
    peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Navy Reserve seamlessly continued
    mobilization and warfighting readiness and training requirements as
    well as steady operational support due to IT capabilities on par with
    commercially available technology.
                          non-deployability analytics
        The Navy Reserve is maturing its data analytics capability to reap
    the benefits of advances in data science and emerging technologies such
    as Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML). Navy Reserve
    Sailors must meet deployability standards to be eligible for
    mobilization to the battlefield. Using AI/ML, we have developed an
    application that accurately predicts those Reserve members at highest
    risk for mobilization cancellation. More importantly, the Mobilization
    Assurance and Assistance Program for SELRES (known as MAAPS) identifies
    unique factors for each Reservist in much the same manner as a ``FICO
    score,'' allowing leadership to tailor interventions to their
    particular challenges, thus increasing the overall deployability of the
    Force.
                                   conclusion
        The Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard are urgently adapting to
    provide Integrated All-Domain Naval Power to address the reemergence of
    maritime rivals. Similarly, the Navy Reserve has prioritized
    warfighting readiness to provide a surge-ready Total Force capable of
    defending the nation, as we have done for more than a century. The Navy
    Reserve is committed to forging our Sailors into an effective maritime
    warfighting force, underpinned by a strong cultural foundation, shared
    values, and tactical proficiency. A future fleet designed around
    capabilities that provide a decisive advantage, enabled by modern
    platforms and hardware, will ensure the Total Force prevails in
    competition or conflict. Greater efficiencies realized through advances
    in our mobilization infrastructure and information technology will
    provide the ability to deploy war-wining forces rapidly to the conflict
    theater. These enhancements to the generation of the Navy Reserve's
    warfighting readiness support the strategic direction reflected in the
    National Defense Strategy and current service doctrine, and will
    contribute to prevailing in conflict if necessary.
        On behalf of the men and women of the United States Navy Reserve,
    thank you for your steadfast support of Navy Reserve Sailors,
    Civilians, families, and employers. The Navy Reserve enjoys a 106 year
    history of facing and overcoming challenges. Beginning with our
    founding in 1915, anticipating the emerging global insecurity of the
    First World War, adapting to the capability, capacity, and scale
    required by the Second World War, evolving during the long phases of
    the Cold War and into the Global War on Terror, our Navy Reserve has
    adapted in each era to answer the emerging challenges of national
    security. Today, we have entered a new era with new challenges. With
    your continued support, we will lead the adaptation of our Navy Reserve
    to address the current and future global environment with speed and
    agility.

        Senator Tester. Thank you, Admiral Mustin.
        Next, we have Lieutenant General Richard Scobee, the Air
    Force Reserve.
    STATEMENT OF LIEUTENANT GENERAL RICHARD W. SCOBEE,
                CHIEF, U.S. AIR FORCE RESERVE
        General Scobee. Hello, Chairman Tester, Ranking Member
    Shelby, and Distinguished Members of the Subcommittee.
        It's an honor for me to be here today with my other service
    counterparts, and it's also an honor for me to represent the
    airmen of the Air Force Reserve.
        I would normally be joined today by my senior enlisted
    advisor, Chief Master Sergeant Tim White, but he is supporting
    the Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force and the Chief Master
    Sergeant of the Space Force at their Quality of Life Hearing
    with the House.
        As a command team, the Command Chief and I are continually
    amazed at the accomplishments of our Air Force Reserve citizen
    airmen, despite every challenge that has been put in front of
    them over the past year.
        The Air Force Reserve is a cost-effective, accessible, and
    ready force. We provide strategic depth with rapid surge
    capability across every Air Force core mission set. We do so
    cost effectively because we are predominantly a part-time force
    and we are an accessible force, contributing globally to Joint
    Force operations every day, and, finally, we are a ready force.
        When the Nation needed rapid pandemic response, we had
    medical personnel on the ground in New York City and New Jersey
    within 48 hours of being notified. We provide strategic depth
    for national defense while operating on only 3 percent of the
    Air Force budget.
        We're committed to attracting top talent and fostering a
    culture of inclusion where every airman is valued and can
    thrive.
        With Congress's assistance, we preserve pre-pandemic gains
    in both individual and unit level readiness and through things
    like force innovations, such as virtual training. We modernize
    key weapon systems and lessen critical manpower shortfalls. We
    increased our organizational effectiveness and enhanced our
    ability to provide excellent care for citizen airmen and their
    families through internal reforms and process improvements.
        The Air Force Reserve invests every congressionally-enacted
    dollar for maximum return. We are grateful for the $19.5
    million we received in CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and
    Economic Security) Act funding, which allowed us to rapidly
    scale our telework capability to protect our workforce during
    the pandemic.
        We are also grateful for continued direct hire authority
    for critical career fields. Last year with this authority, we
    significantly increased our Air Reserve technician pilot
    manning from where it was at 75 percent the last time we talked
    to 97 percent today.
        Our requested fiscal year 2022 budget will ensure the Air
    Force Reserve meets national defense strategy objectives and
    the multi-domain force that we need.
        We are in step with the Chief of Staff of the Air Force's
    vision to accelerate change or lose. We are able to compete
    with our nation's adversaries across the spectrum of conflict
    and will continue to do that by capitalizing on our readiness
    gains we made last year.
        We diligently request only those funds we can execute, the
    Reserve personnel appropriations and operation, and maintenance
    funds which drive our readiness. These accounts fund our
    training, our flying hours, mobilization requirements, our
    equipment maintenance, and our salaries.
        In particular, our flying hour and civilian pay programs
    have taken considerable reductions in recent years, rightfully
    so, due to insufficient justification and an overestimation of
    funds that we needed.
        We've made significant internal strides in adjusting these
    accounts, and I look forward to working with you to enhance
    readiness and reduce risk in our fiscal year 2022 budget.
        I also want to thank you for enabling access to Tricare
    Reserve Select. We are all on this panel in agreement that this
    major legislative accomplishment will offer affordable
    continuity of care for our members and their families.
        However, the legislative currently doesn't take effect
    until 2030. To improve our Reserve force's quality of life and
    readiness, I request your support for accelerated
    implementation and funding of this healthcare access.
        One final area I would like to touch on is equipment
    parity. We accomplish this primarily through the National Guard
    and Reserve Equipment Appropriation. NGREA enables us to
    modernize equipment, sustain our capability, and replace
    obsolete equipment to maintain parity with the Active component
    when recapitalization is not feasible.
        Parity is critical to seamless total force integration and
    we remain grateful for these appropriations and cannot
    overemphasize how vital they are to our readiness. I appreciate
    your support for NGREA now and in the future.
        Thank you for the opportunity to be here before you today
    and for your steadfast support as we ensure the Air Force
    Reserve remains prepared to defend our great Nation and the
    American people. I look forward to answering your questions.
        [The statement follows:]
           Prepared Statement of Lieutenant General Richard W. Scobee
        As an integral component of the Total Force, the Air Force Reserve
    provides experienced manpower and critical capabilities for our
    National Defense. Our Citizen Airmen are interchangeable,
    interoperable, and integrated across the Total Force. We execute the
    full spectrum of Department of the Air Force missions, while providing
    daily operations at a fraction of the cost of a standing force.
        Total Force operations require Total Force readiness. The Air Force
    Reserve must be structured, trained, and equipped for the future fight.
    Operational success in tomorrow's battlespace requires an agile, modern
    force. We must be prepared to provide ready forces for joint
    operations, defend our homeland, counter violent extremist
    organizations and rogue nations, and deter aggression through nuclear
    and conventional readiness.
        Because of the hard work and support of Congress, we were able to
    make steady gains in readiness during Fiscal Years (FY) 2018 and 2019
    and preserve those gains in FY 2020. Funding from the Coronavirus Aid,
    Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was integral in our efforts
    to maintain readiness during the pandemic. With nearly $19.5 million in
    additional funding, we were able to invest in needed software and
    information technology infrastructure, allowing us to preserve our
    force and provide virtual training. With this investment, we scaled
    from an average of less than 1,000 remote workers to supporting nearly
    15,000 across the Total Force. Passing legislative relief to allow
    Reservists to complete a qualifying year for retirement if the COVID-19
    pandemic prevented them from doing so, has the potential to be
    extremely beneficial by preventing career disruption.
        With the assistance of Congress, we have preserved both individual
    and unit level readiness across the Air Force Reserve. Our nuclear
    deterrence forces are mission ready, and we increased our priority unit
    readiness. We modernized key weapon systems and lessened critical
    manpower shortfalls. Through internal reforms and process improvement
    initiatives, we increased our organizational effectiveness and enhanced
    our ability to provide excellent care for our Citizen Airmen and their
    families.
        While we continue to preserve our force and readiness, we still
    face challenges. Due to limited resources, the Air Force Reserve will
    continue to balance requirements and prioritize critical system
    upgrades to our aircraft to enhance our ability to provide relevant
    warfighting capacity to the Total Force in order to enable joint all-
    domain operations. Additionally, we will begin to prioritize backlogged
    infrastructure and facilities requirements within our existing
    resources to optimize our training.
        The Nation's adversaries have studied our vulnerabilities and
    employed technological advances to exploit them, thereby eroding our
    longstanding advantages, altering the nature of warfare, and expanding
    conflict into new domains. The changing battlespace has given rise to
    new operational missions and generated a need for advanced
    capabilities.
        In his paper, Accelerate Change or Lose, the Chief of Staff of the
    Air Force presented a clear case for the changes needed to ensure we
    are able to meet the challenges of the security environment. Accelerate
    Change or Lose outlines a path toward ensuring the Total Force is ready
    when called to defend our Nation and its interests. Because we are
    involved in every core Air Force mission set, nearly every Active
    Component initiative impacts the Air Force Reserve. To remain relevant
    contributors to joint operations, we must maintain interoperability as
    a Total Force. We optimize our operational capability when we maintain
    parity with our Active Component counterparts. The concurrent fielding,
    recapitalization, and divestment of airframes, systems, and equipment
    is essential to the Air Force Reserve's ability to more effectively
    integrate within the Total Force. Associations between geographically
    co-located Active and Reserve component units greatly enhances this
    integration, providing multiple benefits to the Total Force at the best
    value for the American taxpayer.
        Our readiness, operational capabilities, and success as an
    organization all depend on our Reserve Citizen Airmen. They are both
    the heart of our organization and its foundation. Our Reservists are
    incredibly talented. Their diversity and high level of experience
    multiplies our operational capabilities, and their dedication enables
    execution of our mission. It is therefore incumbent upon us to develop
    our Airmen as individuals, technical experts, and leaders, ensuring
    they have the resources and support they require. We are absolutely
    committed to providing excellent care to our Citizen Airmen and their
    families.
        The Air Force Reserve is a cost effective force, and will continue
    its excellent stewardship of American taxpayers' dollars.
                    the air force reserve in the total force
        The Air Force Reserve is a predominantly part time force which,
    when mobilized, provides full time support to the Joint Force. In
    addition to our daily contributions to global operations, we provide
    rapid surge capability and strategic depth for national defense. We
    participate in almost every Active Component mission, operating as part
    of an integrated Total Force across nearly all Air Force core
    functional areas and weapon systems.
        On average, over 6,000 Reserve Citizen Airmen contribute to world-
    wide operations every day. Typically, approximately two thirds of those
    Airmen are volunteers. Our personnel support all combatant commands and
    are deployed to every geographic area of responsibility. Last year,
    approximately 5,500 Airmen mobilized or volunteered to support
    operations in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Within 48 hours of a
    request for forces, we were able to generate airlift to ensure that 120
    medics were in place in the New York City metropolitan area. In total,
    274 medical personnel were deployed to the northeastern United States
    in support of the national COVID-19 response, representing the largest
    unplanned mobilization of Reserve forces since 9/11. Last year, our
    Reservists provided nearly two million days of support to the Active
    Component and the Joint Force.
        In addition to supporting global military operations, the Air Force
    Reserve partners with and supports multiple federal and civil
    organizations and institutions. We routinely participate in
    humanitarian aid and disaster relief efforts. We also support global
    scientific research programs in addition to education and technology
    initiatives. This year, we added new winter weather reconnaissance
    capabilities to collect data on Atmospheric Rivers on the West Coast,
    supporting the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
    in forecasting floods. We also flew 164 missions to cover 20 of 30
    named storms.
        In 2020, the nearly 4,000 Reservists supported 91 service, joint,
    and multinational exercises, increasing Joint Force integration and
    strengthening relationships with allies and partner nations. The COVID-
    19 pandemic increased exercise participation manpower costs, as
    restriction of movement measures mandated significant personnel
    isolation before and after exercises. The pandemic also resulted in 53
    planned exercises being cancelled. This resulted in nearly 4,000
    Reservists missing an opportunity to receive readiness or proficiency
    training and approximately $11 million in unobligated Reserve Personnel
    Appropriations.
        Approximately 75 percent of Air Force Reserve members serve part
    time. In addition to their military training and experience, our part
    time force brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise from their
    civilian careers to their military service. This strengthens our
    capabilities, enables the integration of civil sector best practices,
    and facilitates beneficial partnerships with industry and other
    institutions. Many of our members have civilian careers similar to
    their military jobs, which enables Citizen Airmen to bring scope and
    depth to their military positions. This is particularly advantageous
    for emerging and evolving missions, such as cyber and space, into which
    we actively recruit personnel with civilian experience.
        The Air Force Reserve provides the Total Force with a method to
    retain talent, by providing a continuity of service options for Active
    Component members who would otherwise separate. The Department of the
    Air Force understands the importance of retaining experience and
    talent, and seeks to leverage the value, which the Reserve Component
    brings to the Total Force. In addition to using Total Force
    partnerships to place newly trained members in units with highly
    experienced personnel, the Air Force is currently exploring flexible
    service options designed to allow members to easily transition between
    components of the Total Force. The Air Force Reserve fully supports
    these efforts, which will benefit our Airmen, our readiness, and our
    national defense.
        Total Force Integration is exemplified by associations between
    geographically co-located Active Component and Reserve units. In this
    construct, equipment resources are officially assigned only to the lead
    unit, but are shared between the lead and associate unit. Associations
    further enhance our interoperability and give the Active Component
    access to the experience resident in the more seasoned Reserve force.
    This ensures parity in equipment and training, while providing cost
    savings and readiness benefits to both components.
        Currently, there are 79 associations between the Reserve and the
    Active Component. Most of these are classic associations, in which the
    Active Component is the lead organization. Active associations, in
    which the Reserve is the lead unit, comprise a little more than twelve
    percent of current associations. The Reserve and the Active Component
    have associations in nearly every major mission set, and many training
    units, including every undergraduate pilot training wing, pilot
    instructor training, and major aircraft formal training units. We are
    also the lead component for the B-52 and C-5 Formal Training Units.
                   implementing the national defense strategy
        After nearly two decades of counter-terrorism operations, great
    power competition has re-merged as the highest priority for national
    security. The rise of peer and near-peer competitors on the world stage
    in an age of unprecedented global economic interdependence, combined
    with the proliferation of swiftly advancing technology, has created a
    unique and complex environment. Accelerate Change or Lose affirms that
    a rapid shift in military operational focus and capabilities is
    imperative to remain competitive in this security environment. The
    United States must be able to combat adversaries across the spectrum of
    conflict and operate simultaneously in all warfighting domains. The
    2018 National Defense Strategy provides the framework to ensure we can
    compete, deter, and win in tomorrow's battlespace, and we are
    diligently working to meet that intent.
        Our efforts align under those of the Department of the Air Force
    and support the Total Force's mandate to provide ready forces for
    national defense. In order to operate seamlessly in a combat
    environment, we must have the capability to connect with the Joint
    Force. The Total Force must be capable of conducting robust nuclear and
    conventional deterrence, homeland defense, and counter-extremism
    operations. Meeting this mandate in the future operational environment
    will require the Total Force to dominate space, generate combat power,
    and conduct logistics under attack. As the Airmen who execute the
    mission represent the most important element in this and every
    undertaking, the Department of the Air Force is simultaneously focused
    on developing and caring for our people and their families.
    Air Force Reserve Strategic Priorities
        To restore readiness rapidly and prepare for the future fight, the
    Air Force Reserve established three priorities. The first, prioritizing
    strategic depth and accelerating readiness, focuses on the requirement
    to prepare for future operational requirements while maintaining
    present-day readiness. This includes sustaining our present level of
    support to the Joint Force. The second, developing resilient leaders,
    serves two purposes: to enhance the physical, mental, and emotional
    fitness of all Reserve Citizen Airmen and to develop mission-focused
    leaders who can operate independently. Our final priority, reform the
    organization, aims to increase efficiency and effectiveness through
    internal process improvements and innovation.
        The Air Force Reserve strategic priorities were developed based on
    the challenges outlined in the National Defense Strategy and are
    aligned with Secretary of Defense, Secretary of the Air Force, and
    Chief of Staff of the Air Force directives. We made significant gains
    in 2020, preserving overall readiness, implementing new leadership
    development programs, and improving our internal operations. We are in
    the process of expanding and accelerating these efforts to further
    enhance our mission readiness and our ability to support Air Force
    Reserve Citizen Airmen and their families.
    Air Force Reserve Future Force Framework
        Both the Future of Defense Task Force Report 2020 and Accelerate
    Change or Lose acknowledge that our technological advantages are
    rapidly eroding in a strategic environment that is defined by great
    power competition. Both of these documents call for change to meet the
    requirements of the National Defense Strategy. To align Air Force
    Reserve capabilities and force structure with the National Defense
    Strategy and to posture our force to execute tomorrow's missions, we
    developed the Air Force Reserve Future Force Framework. This will
    enable us to deliberately organize, train, and equip our force to best
    prepare for conflict in highly contested environments. This framework
    directs mission optimization through assessing capabilities to
    determine which mission sets are best suited for the Air Force Reserve
    to align and improve policy, planning and programming efforts. The
    framework also provides for tailored and prioritized training. This
    element synchronizes training efforts and capitalizes on technology to
    optimize unit training assemblies by enabling the completion of
    ancillary training requirements through virtual methods. Finally, the
    Air Force Reserve will continue to leverage civilian sector strengths
    by capitalizing on member expertise and knowledge, cultivating industry
    partnerships, and tailoring recruitment efforts to develop the force of
    the future.
                         infrastructure and facilities
        Maintaining and modernizing our infrastructure and facilities is
    critical to readiness, force protection, and ensuring a safe work
    environment for our Airmen. These efforts are funded through Military
    Construction (MILCON) appropriations, which provide for new facilities
    and major infrastructure projects, and with the Facility Sustainment,
    Repair, and Modernization (FSRM) funds included in our O&M
    appropriation. FSRM appropriations are used to repair and modernize
    existing facilities and to extend the service life of existing
    infrastructure. Through the FY 2021 Consolidated Appropriations Act,
    Congress provided funds for the construction of a new F-35 simulator
    facility and squadron operations facility at Naval Air Station Joint
    Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas.
                   generating combat power today and tomorrow
        The Air Force Reserve provides daily operational support to the
    Joint Force, while maintaining a strategic force for sustained
    operations during major conflict. We provide surge capacity and rapid
    response capabilities, enabling the Joint Force to quickly adapt to
    operations tempo increases and unforeseen events, such as national
    disasters and contingencies. We also fill Active Component manning
    shortfalls and provide augmentation to meet short term manpower
    requirements.
        Our ability to meet current taskings and to supply strategic
    manpower are predicated on our readiness. As an operational reserve, we
    must maintain our readiness to support present-day missions while we
    align our capabilities to meet the intent of the National Defense
    Strategy and prepare for future requirements. Last year, we focused on
    preserving the readiness gains of the previous two years, concentrating
    efforts specifically on mission essential personnel preparing to deploy
    and entering training pipelines.
        The Air Force Reserve must be able to decisively employ both
    traditional and emerging capabilities. In order to enhance our ability
    to compete, deter, and win in any environment, we remain focused on key
    mission sets and are actively expanding our capabilities in the space
    and cyber realms. As warfighting domains become increasingly
    integrated, we must be prepared to conduct joint all-domain operations,
    which will allow us to create decisive, asymmetrical advantages in
    future conflicts.
    Nuclear Deterrence Operations
        Nuclear capability is a foundational element of our national
    defense, and the Air Force Reserve shares in the nuclear mission. Our
    Nuclear Deterrence Operations assets include nuclear strike, air
    refueling, and command, control, and communications capabilities. In FY
    2020, we supported one Nuclear Operational Readiness Inspection to
    assess the readiness of our forces to conduct Nuclear Deterrence
    Operations. Our nuclear forces remain mission ready.
    Air Superiority
        In order to defeat a peer or near-peer adversary, we must be able
    to generate combat power in contested environments. Maintaining parity
    with the Active Component is essential for assuring the ability to
    operate in contested environments. Program upgrade delays and limited
    delivery of replacement aircraft add risk to the ability to sustain air
    superiority strategic surge capacity in the future.
        The Air Force Reserve has Classic Associations in several F-35
    units. We execute F-35 combat operations in our association at Hill
    AFB, Utah. Additional associations execute F-35 formal training at Luke
    AFB, Arizona and Eglin AFB, Florida, and operational test and weapons
    instructor course missions at Nellis AFB, Nevada. The Air Force
    Reserve's first unit-equipped F-35 wing will execute combat operations
    and be part of an Active Association.
    Aerial Refueling
        The Air Force Reserve air refueling fleet in FY 2021 consists of
    seven unit equipped wings and four associate wings. In December 2019,
    our Unit Equipped wing at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base (AFB), North
    Carolina, began its KC-46 airframe conversion. Four of the twelve
    aircraft were delivered in FY 2020 with the remaining eight scheduled
    for delivery early in FY 2021. Half of the crews have already completed
    conversion training, along with 85 percent of maintenance personnel.
    The Classic Associate unit at McConnell AFB, Kansas entered conversion
    in April 2020 with 50 percent of both operations and maintenance
    personnel completing conversion training in 2020.
        At present, we have eight wings which operate the KC-135, two of
    which are currently undergoing conversion to the KC-46. Six of these
    wings are unit-equipped, and three are tasked with an alert mission. We
    are focused on the readiness of our KC-135 force, with the goals of
    improving mission capable rates, increasing aircrew and maintenance
    manpower, and providing better training for our aircrew and maintenance
    personnel. The first Air Force Reserve aircraft began datalink
    modification with ``Real Time Information in the Cockpit'' (RTIC) in
    early 2021. This modification increases the communications and
    information capabilities of the aircraft increasing its support
    capacity in a fast paced contested environment.
        The Air Force Reserve has two wings who associate with the Active
    Component to fly and maintain the KC-10. The Air Force Reserve remains
    committed to this aircraft and mission as long as it remains a part of
    the air refueling force. As the inventory is reduced, the Air Force
    Reserve will work with the Department of the Air Force to convert those
    units and their manpower to the determined follow-on missions.
    Airlift
        The Air Force Reserve enables combat delivery through our strategic
    and tactical airlift fleets. In order to effectuate the C-5 formal
    training requirements, the Air Force Reserve requires a ground training
    device to increase training efficiency and precluded the requirement
    for a dedicated flyable aircraft for ground training. The C-5 fleet
    continues to invest in programs to address safety, obsolescence,
    regulatory compliance, and long term sustainability. The C-130H fleet
    Aircraft Modification Program Increment 2 (AMP 2) contract award
    resulted in a savings of $540 million across FY 2020-2024. The C-17
    fleet continues to provide operational and strategic depth to the
    Global Reach enterprise.
    Dominating Space
        The establishment of the United States Space Force (USSF) in
    December 2019 underscored the importance of space to our national
    security. The Air Force Reserve is a major contributor to space
    operations. In the last year, our personnel executed up to 30 percent
    of daily space missions directly supporting United States Space Command
    taskings. We added 30 space manpower authorizations in FY 2021. In
    addition, the Air Force Reserve has already taken steps to provide
    focused support to the USSF for the near term. Our space units are
    aligned with and will be able to integrate effectively with USSF forces
    for the foreseeable future.
    Cyber Defense
        Digital technology permeates nearly every aspect of modern life.
    This technology is both pervasive and inexpensive, making the cyber
    domain easily accessible. The increasing integration of cyber
    capabilities enhances our ability to generate combat power, yet exposes
    us to new threats. Therefore, the Air Force Reserve is building and
    expanding our foundational capabilities to conduct operations in the
    information environment, by evolving our cyber mission portfolio and
    repurposing our cyber force to better defend against future threats.
        We provide support directly to Air Forces Cyber, Sixteenth Air
    Force, and United States Cyber Command. We are implementing the Cyber
    Squadron Initiative and are developing Mission Defense Teams with three
    of ten teams projected to reach Initial Operational Capability
    declaration during FY 2021. These teams will be located at Air Force
    Reserve host installations, as well as Naval Air Station Joint Reserve
    Base Fort Worth, Texas where we are the lead Air Force unit.
        We are in the process of transitioning our cyber personnel from
    information technology support to mission assurance and defensive cyber
    operations. Along with our Active Component counterparts, we are
    replacing our internal communications network with contractor delivered
    information services. The shift to Enterprise Information Technology as
    a service will allow us to leverage modern systems and practices from
    civilian industry for our internal networking needs, while enabling our
    personnel to focus on cyber operations and defense.
        The Air Force Reserve is continuing to develop and implement new
    programs to expand accessibility and better utilize data. Our goal is
    to migrate from stove-piped service information technology systems to
    cloud based platforms. As part of this effort, we are transitioning to
    an operating-system agnostic framework. We are extending mobile-based
    capabilities and implementing alternative platforms to enable increased
    user accessibility. These efforts allow users to connect securely to
    Air Force networks through virtual desktop applications, enabling
    access from any device and any location. They also significantly reduce
    the equipment, software, and maintenance support requirements to
    maintain infrastructure. Our work in these areas prior to the pandemic
    allowed for our rapid scaling of telework initiatives. We are working
    with the Air Force Chief Data Office to create a mature Shared Data
    Environment, which will serve as a single source for information.
    Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR)
        The Air Force Reserve ISR enterprise is uniquely designed to
    provide strategic depth and operational surge capacity in traditional
    and emerging mission sets. Tailoring mission profiles is necessary to
    ensure our ISR forces are readily available for mission execution. We
    will develop capabilities in areas that support the Joint Force while
    ensuring current mission sets are relevant to multi-domain operations
    and great power competition. Investments in the operational use of
    publicly available information, increased presence in battlespace
    characterization, and support to key capabilities--such as nuclear,
    space, and cyber operations--are necessary to ensure that we are
    postured to meet the needs of Joint Forces.
        The Air Force Reserve continues to provide approximately 500
    experienced pilots, sensor operators and intelligence Airmen to support
    Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) operations at five associations with
    our counterparts in Air Combat Command and Air Force Special Operations
    Command. We will maintain our contribution of both steady state and
    surge capacity to MQ-9 combat lines, as the Total Force RPA enterprise
    reorganizes to a leaner and more lethal force.
    Command and Control (C2)
        The Air Force is preparing for the future fight by fielding new
    concepts and capabilities which enable Joint All-Domain Command and
    Control (JADC2), the Department of Defense's top modernization
    priority, which is critical to executing joint all-domain operations.
    JADC2 is a system that uses data, machine learning and state-of-the-art
    software to seamlessly link ``sensors to shooters'' and create a
    resilient, adaptable line of communications across all domains--air,
    land, sea, cyber and space to faster and more accurate enable decision
    making. The Air Force Reserve's current C2 program will continue to
    provide strategic depth for the Total Force as the Air Force pursues
    the development of JADC2.
        As part of the Air Force's strategic initiative to strengthen joint
    leaders and teams, Fifteenth Air Force will now provide the Department
    of Defense with an air-centric capability to task during crisis
    operations and be offered as part of the dynamic force employment model
    to meet the National Defense Strategy for more integrated and multi-
    domain operations. Our FY 2021 budget allocated 60 Air Force Reserve
    positions to stand up a classic associate unit for the service-
    retained, Joint Task Force (JTF)-capable organization at Fifteenth Air
    Force, JTF Headquarters at Shaw AFB, South Carolina. This classic
    associate unit is projected to reach Initial Operational Capability
    during 2021.
                             manning a ready force
        Adequate manpower is vital to readiness. For several years, our
    overall manpower has hovered slightly below end strength targets.
    During the pandemic, the Active Component experienced high retention
    rates, which impacts our ability to recruit prior service Airmen. While
    we do have part time manning shortfalls in some locations and in
    certain critical career fields, our total assigned part time personnel
    is near the total authorized. Although there have been improvements in
    the past year, our full time assigned manning remains below the
    authorized level.
        Our full time personnel continue to preserve our readiness while
    maintaining a high operational tempo. However, our full time force is
    overtasked. We place too many requirements on too few Airmen. We owe it
    to them to reduce some of the burden.
        Our full time force is a mix of Air Reserve Technicians (ART) and
    Active Guard Reserve (AGR). Between 2013 and 2018, our ART manning
    levels dropped from 80 to 74 percent, largely due to the highly
    competitive civilian job market. This decrease in positions filled was
    further exacerbated by the civil service hiring process, which
    prolonged vacancies and caused us to lose candidates.
        Ensuring our full time personnel are fairly compensated for their
    work is essential to recruiting and retaining talented individuals.
    Therefore, we implemented several initiatives to fill our full time
    manpower positions. These efforts are producing results. At the start
    of FY 2019, our full time manning level was approximately 75 percent.
    By the end of the first quarter of FY 2021, the number of assigned ARTs
    increased to 82 percent of authorized.
        The increase in our assigned full time manning levels is due, in
    part, to the conversion of a percentage of our ART billets to AGR
    authorizations. AGR manpower and retention rates are higher than that
    of the ART force, with a comparatively faster hiring process. Please
    also note, younger workforce members often have difficulty
    demonstrating the qualifications required to be listed on a hiring
    certification for ART positions. AGR positions, with an effective off
    ramp strategy, can provide a way to gain sufficient experience to be
    considered for ART positions at the end of a three year AGR tour. The
    ART to AGR conversion initiative is a multi-year effort, which began in
    FY 2018. In FY 2020, we executed 521 conversions, and we are rapidly
    progressing on our remaining 816 conversions planned for FY 2021.
        Our ART manning and overall full time manpower also benefited from
    Direct Hiring Authority. This authority, which Congress granted,
    streamlines the civil service hiring process for certain critical
    career fields, drastically decreasing hiring timelines. Direct Hiring
    Authority provided particular benefit to our full time maintenance
    force. This authority allowed us to hire 1,166 ARTs and civilians,
    increasing full time maintenance manpower to 80 percent. Direct Hiring
    Authority enabled us to decrease our ART maintainer vacancies to their
    lowest level in nearly five years.
        Extending this authority to pilots has produced similar results. In
    FY 2020, our full time pilot manpower was nearly 75 percent of
    authorized. Last year, Direct Hiring Authority was used for 55 percent
    of pilot hiring, helping us achieve a full time manning level of 97
    percent of authorized. Overall, pilot manpower has remained steady over
    the last year, at above 85 percent. We are exploring new options to
    increase both full time and part time pilot manning, including updating
    pay grade determination criteria for ART aircrew members and offering
    additional civilian recruitment and retention incentives.
        We are grateful to Congress for authorizing Tricare Reserve Select
    (TRS) for military technicians and other Title 5 civilians who also
    serve in a Reserve Component. When enacted in 2030, this will serve as
    a significant retention tool, as it provides Reserve Component members
    a cost effective option for obtaining premium healthcare for themselves
    and their families.
        In addition, the Air Force Reserve took steps to improve retention
    in both our full time and part time force. Reducing attrition preserves
    readiness and provides cost savings by decreasing training
    requirements. We are presently targeting retention through bonuses and
    special salary rates, which offer a marked return on investment. A
    single $15,000 retention bonus results in a cost avoidance of roughly
    $45,000 in training funds and prevents an approximately three year
    readiness gap, which occurs while a replacement is trained.
        While we have experienced a two year positive trend in increasing
    retention, we are continuing to focus our retention efforts on Airmen
    with six to ten years total service, which is the group with the
    highest attrition rate. In addition to expanding existing programs, we
    are seeking new methods of increasing retention and engaging wing
    leaders in these efforts. We also reduced barriers to recruiting,
    including decreasing hiring timelines, eliminating mileage
    restrictions, and removing unnecessary interview requirements. In FY
    2020, our attrition rates were 10.3 percent, below the goal of 10.9
    percent. To date, our FY 2021 attrition rates are at 10 percent with a
    goal of staying below 10.5 percent.
        Our full time to part time force mix is based on pre-Gulf War force
    structure and operational tempo. In order to effectively accomplish our
    mission, train our force, and maintain readiness, we must increase the
    percentage of full time manpower in relation to our end strength.
    Presently, full time uniformed military members constitute
    approximately 25 percent of Air Force Reserve authorizations. Based on
    current requirements, we need to continue our efforts to increase this
    type of full time support which is essential to maintaining readiness.
                modernizing and improving the air force reserve
        Tomorrow's operational environment will notably evolve when
    compared to how we conduct operations today. The return of great power
    competition, combined with the rapid advancement and widespread
    availability of digital technology, drives the need to transform our
    forces so they can generate combat power effectively to win, despite
    contested environments established by our potential adversaries. This
    requires fielding new warfighting concepts and capabilities and
    modernizing existing platforms to meet future threats.
        We implemented multiple readiness initiatives, including bolstering
    training, removing unnecessary requirements, and instituting internal
    reforms to streamline our operations and enhance support to our Reserve
    Citizen Airmen. We are prepared to meet both current and future
    requirements, and we must carry our present momentum forward into the
    coming years to further optimize our force.
    Maintaining Operational Parity with the Active Component
        In order to effectively support the Active Component and connect
    with the Joint Force, the Air Force Reserve must modernize
    simultaneously as the Air Force upgrades legacy platforms, adding
    capabilities required for the future fight. Our operational
    capabilities are tied to our ability to integrate into the Total Force,
    therefore we must maintain parity with the Active Component whenever
    possible.
        Concurrently fielding new airframes, aircraft upgrades, and other
    equipment is critical to sustaining and improving this operational
    parity. The Air Force Reserve can only provide strategic depth and
    operational support to the Joint Force in mission areas where our
    personnel are trained on the required weapon systems, and we are most
    effective when we can operate interchangeably with our Active Component
    counterparts. Concurrent fielding enables our personnel to train on the
    same systems employed by the Active Component, facilitating
    interoperability within the Total Force. This maximizes the Air Force
    Reserve's ability to support operational missions and enhances our
    integration with the Active Component, assuring we are capable of
    providing the Total Force with the warfighting capability necessary to
    achieve decisive victory against future threats and in all domains.
        In addition to concurrent fielding, the Reserve must recapitalize
    and divest weapon systems in conjunction with the Active Component.
    This prevents problems which arise when the Reserve Component continues
    to operate a legacy system that is no longer used by our active
    counterparts. In this situation, the Reserve becomes responsible for
    all aspects associated with that particular platform, such as
    standardization and evaluations and safety. Asynchronous divestment can
    also lead to significant sustainment cost growth with diminishing
    vendors for spare parts. Furthermore, once the Active Component divests
    a weapon system, the Reserve is unable to hire qualified Active
    Component aircrew separatees for that specific airframe, increasing
    training costs and reducing readiness.
    Weapon System Modernization and Sustainment
        While acquiring new platforms such as the F-35, KC-46, B-21, and F-
    15EX will enhance our capabilities, both the Active Component and the
    Reserve will continue to rely on many of the proven platforms currently
    in our inventory. This necessitates aircraft modernization and system
    upgrades, which will provide the capabilities needed for the future
    fight and ensure survivability if operating in a contested environment.
        Key modernizations are required to keep our legacy fleet relevant
    in the prioritized missions outlined in the NDS. Necessary A-10
    enhancements include the installation of upgraded mission computers,
    Helmet-Mounted Targeting, Anti-Jam Global Positioning System equipment,
    and missile warning systems which will provide enhanced threat
    awareness and weapons delivery capabilities in contested environments.
    The A-10 is also undergoing critical flight safety upgrades like wing
    replacements, which will avert a predicted grounding of 35 aircraft in
    FY 2023. Our B-52 fleet requires upgrades to radar and defensive
    systems and the install of advanced data link equipment, and is in the
    process of integrating Advanced Extremely High Frequency communications
    capability. The fleet also requires engine replacements to sustain
    itself through 2050. Our F-16s require active electronically scanned
    array (AESA) radars to more effectively support homeland defense and
    other priority NDS missions.
        After decades of operating in a permissive environment, we must be
    prepared to conduct logistics under attack. The C-5 and C-17 are both
    vulnerable to radar guided missile threats which would be mitigated by
    the installation of a layered defense and awareness suite. Currently,
    the Radar Warning System upgrades for both aircraft are unfunded. We
    are presently installing the Mobility Air Forces datalink system in our
    C-5 fleet and to equip our KC-135 aircraft with the Real-Time in
    Cockpit situational awareness system. Our KC-135 fleet is also
    scheduled to continue Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures
    modifications during programmed depot maintenance. The installation of
    additional threat awareness and self-defense systems will provide
    further protection for this aircraft.
        In addition to modernization, many of our airframes require
    upgrades, repairs, and component replacements in order to maintain
    airworthiness and extend service life. These weapon system sustainment
    actions are critical to both our mission capability and aircraft
    availability rates. Maintaining a mission capable aircraft fleet is
    essential to meeting operational taskings and training our personnel.
    The lack of weapon system sustainment funding can ground aircraft,
    hampering our ability to support global operations and degrading our
    readiness, therefore, the Air Force Reserve will continue to prioritize
    these efforts within its appropriated funding levels.
        Years of continuing resolutions, lack of flexible funding, and an
    aging fleet have increased weapon system sustainment requirements.
    Historically, due to competing higher priority requirements, the Air
    Force Reserve has had approximately 75 percent of our share of these
    requirements funded. We obligated over $445 million for weapon system
    sustainment in FY 2020. Our FY 2021 appropriations are approximately
    $743 million, of which we are on track to fully obligate, with 88.9
    percent funded to requirements 27 percent already obligated.
        Our current sustainment requirements include measures to extend the
    B-52's service life by an additional thirty years and to replace this
    platform's engines with new, more fuel-efficient ones. Our A-10 fleet
    requires wing replacements and our C-130H aircraft need avionics and
    propulsion upgrades, which we will prioritize when and as needed.
    Internal Improvements
        Reforming our organization through internal improvements and
    increasing our operational efficiency continues to be one of our major
    focus areas. Our intent is to increase our overall readiness and
    enhance our ability to support our Reserve Citizen Airmen by
    streamlining our internal processes and eliminating requirements,
    policies, and programs which either detract from or do not contribute
    to our readiness or provide support to our personnel.
        In FY 2020, we continued to fill full time healthcare provider
    vacancies by leveraging ART to AGR conversions. This enabled a 32
    percent improvement in processing fitness for duty case completion. The
    significant process reforms from FY 2019 yielded a 14 percent increase
    in quality and reduced medical downtime for Reserve Citizen Airmen
    awaiting a return to duty determination. We were also able to
    capitalize on the Shared Data Environment to make Individual Medical
    Readiness reporting more visible to senior leadership. An increased use
    of Individual Medical Readiness services under the Reserve Health
    Readiness Program enabled completion of Separation History and Physical
    Exams to increase from 9 percent to 42 percent.
        We are currently accelerating and expanding our internal reform
    efforts. We identified additional areas within our organization that
    require enhancement and are working to improve the most critical of
    these. One of several of these initiatives is the holistic reform of
    our manpower and personnel programs and processes. We are also
    identifying processes which create problems for our Airmen, such as pay
    and benefits issues.
        As part of this enterprise-wide initiative, the Air Force Reserve's
    Force Generation Center is presently improving our mobilization and
    deployment processes through process and system upgrades. In FY 2020,
    the Force Generation Center ran a proof of concept test for a
    Deployment Orders Cell (DOC). The initial test supported 8 units and
    595 Airmen. Centralizing this process cut the average orders processing
    time from 59 days down to 7 days for the Airmen in the test group. This
    will expedite orders approval, enabling Airmen to receive benefits
    earlier in the process and reducing gaps in support. These improvements
    will alleviate problems caused by our current lengthy process, helping
    our personnel, their family members, and their civilian employers
    better plan and prepare for deployments.
        In addition to our own internal efforts, we participate in
    Department of the Air Force development and reform initiatives,
    including the Air Force War Fighting Integration Capability team. We
    also support and will benefit from the Department of the Air Force's
    ongoing predictive maintenance efforts and are working to acquire
    additive manufacturing capability. To date, five Air Force Reserve
    wings have purchased equipment required to manufacture items in house,
    which are currently being used for training and familiarization.
    Personnel at Pittsburgh Air Reserve Base, Pennsylvania and Keesler Air
    Force Base, Mississippi have completed initial online training but due
    to the pandemic they have not been able to complete the necessary in
    person training to manufacture aircraft parts. These two initiatives
    will decrease aircraft repair time, ultimately improving mission
    capable and aircraft availability rates.
    Exercise Planning
        Operating in contested airspace requires both modernized aircraft
    and trained aircrew. We must ensure all Reserve Citizen Airmen receive
    realistic training and are fully capable of employing the systems which
    will be required in the future operating environment. One of the ways
    in which we are ensuring our ability to operate in a future threat
    environment is the Deliberate Planning Exercises (DPEX) program. DPEX
    shifts from an ad hoc method of scheduling exercises to a centrally
    planned, readiness driven, comprehensive exercise program that
    deliberately schedules personnel for exercises to boost unit capability
    toward specific mission essential tasks.
                providing excellent care to airmen and families
        Our Airmen are our greatest asset. They are ultimately responsible
    for maintaining our readiness, aligning our organization to meet future
    requirements, and executing our operational missions. Their success
    depends on our support. The Air Force Reserve is absolutely committed
    to providing excellent care to both our Airmen and their families. This
    mandates a holistic approach, and we continually seek ways to better
    support our personnel and enable their personal and professional
    success. We currently have numerous personnel support initiatives,
    including reducing the administrative burden on our Airmen, improving
    education and training, growing our resiliency programs, and providing
    our Airmen and their families with access to needed resources. Our
    ultimate goals are to improve the quality of life for our personnel and
    to foster an environment where people want to stay and serve.
    Diversity and Inclusion
        Diverse, resilient, and ready Citizen Airmen are the bedrock of the
    Air Force Reserve's readiness and lethality. The Air Force Reserve
    continues to fully operationalize Diversity and Inclusion to leverage
    its remarkably diverse citizenry for decisive, lethal advantage.
        As an organization, we are committed to ensuring an environment in
    which every person is valued and is able to reach their fullest
    potential. To that end, we have realigned our organization to ensure
    that the Chief Diversity Officer is a director-level position on the
    major command staff. We have also ensured that at each wing the vice
    commander is the Diversity and Inclusion Program Manager and provided
    training on a quarterly basis for these duties.
        The Air Force Reserve is in the process of conducting an internal
    racial disparity review as a compliment to the Department of the Air
    Force's ongoing racial disparity review. This review is focused on
    processes unique to the Air Force Reserve that may contribute to racial
    disparity in the areas of discipline and career development. The review
    is being conducted in three phases. The first phase identified
    processes with the potential for racial disparity. The second phase,
    which is underway, consists of conducting a thorough analysis of these
    processes for disparity and making policy recommendations. The final
    phase will be continuous review and sustainment.
    Suicide Prevention
        Over the last two calendar years, the Air Force Reserve has
    experienced an increase in member suicides. Our rates are not going in
    the desired direction. Losing even one Airman to suicide is a horrible
    tragedy, with every life having its own deeply personal story.
        In response to this heartbreaking trend, we expanded upon our
    existing support programs and are adding new leadership tools to assist
    with suicide prevention and intervention. Suicide is a complex
    interaction of factors; while there is no one ``fix,'' we are committed
    to addressing suicide comprehensively. The Air Force Reserve Suicide
    Prevention Program is a comprehensive, evidence-based,
    multidisciplinary program that is dedicated to a leadership driven and
    safety oriented culture. Its focus areas are building connections,
    detecting risk, promoting protective environments and equipping Airmen
    and their families.
        Although the Air Force has found no direct link between deployments
    and member suicide, all personnel receive mental health screenings
    before, during, and after deployment and as part of their annual health
    assessment. These screenings assess suicide risk along with other
    behavioral and mental health issues. We conduct Suicide Analysis
    Boards, modeled after safety investigation boards, to identify the
    causes and contributing factors behind member suicides.
        Our intent is to create protective policies and programs which will
    reverse this trend and bring our suicide rate to the only acceptable
    number: zero.
    Personal Resiliency
        The personal wellness of our Airmen and their families is
    incredibly important. The Air Force Reserve has multiple on base
    entities which provide support and resources to our personnel. We
    employ dedicated Sexual Assault Response Coordinators in all wings and
    Violence Prevention Integrators on all nine Air Force Reserve host
    installations and at Fort Worth Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base,
    where we are the lead Air Force wing. In FY 2019, we began building out
    embedded Religious Support Teams at our host installations with
    Religious Affairs Airmen. In FY 2021, we are completing this process by
    filling 10 Chaplain positions.
        In addition, the Air Force Reserve promotes and provides mental
    health resources as part of the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program.
    This initiative supports Reservists and their family members through
    pre-and post-deployment events. This program has seen an overwhelming
    success, with over 97 percent of attendees finding the events
    beneficial. Over the past year, the program cancelled 14 planned in
    person events, due to the pandemic, shifting to a virtual delivery
    model. These virtual events primarily focused on pre-deployers. In
    2020, the program supported 902 members and 1561 family members., For
    the remaining Reservists and their family members who were unable to
    attend in person events, these members will be eligible for in-person
    post-deployment events once resuming these events is safe.
    Childcare Benefits
        The Air Force Reserve has worked to ensure that childcare is
    available on Unit Training Assembly weekends at no cost to parents
    through the Home Community Care (HCC) program. Airmen who do not have
    another adult for childcare due to being a single parent or a dual
    military couple are eligible for the program. The HCC program mitigates
    host locations without Child Development Centers and a lack of
    availability of Active Component facilities on weekends. Currently, the
    HCC is available or in progress at 41 Air Force Reserve locations,
    working to recruit providers by zip code.
                                    summary
        We will continue our diligent efforts to meet the intent of the
    National Defense Strategy, increase our interoperability within the
    Total Force, and further our integration within the Joint Force while
    ensuring that we remain a cost effective force that provides strategic
    depth to the Nation.
        Our recent readiness gains would not have been possible without
    your support. The approval of our FY 2020 and 2021 budget requests
    enabled us to improve our readiness while maintaining robust support to
    global operations. Funding from the CARES Act allowed us to rapidly
    scale telework capabilities to protect our people. Recent legislative
    actions, such as Direct Hiring Authority, removed barriers to success
    and improved the quality of life for our Citizen Airmen. The future
    operational environment will require a capable, modern, and combat-
    ready force. With your continued support, we are confident the Air
    Force Reserve will remain prepared to fly, fight, and win, delivering
    airpower anytime, anywhere.

        Senator Tester. Thank you, General Scobee.
        I want to thank each one of you for your testimony here
    today.
        I'm going to start with you, General Hokanson. The Air
    Force has come under some scrutiny lately for its basing
    decision for the Air National Guard's C-130Js. After Congress
    appropriated funds for more aircraft to modernize several
    units, there were discussions within the Air Force to redirect
    some of these aircraft to a C-130 training base that was not
    included in the last basing decision.
        So the question is, will all four units, including the unit
    in Georgia, be fully converted to the modern C-130Js provided
    in last year's appropriation bill?
        General Hokanson. Chairman, my understanding in working
    with the Air Force is that all four of those squadrons will
    convert to the J model over the timeline. I'm not specific on
    the last one. It'll depend on additional purchases, but the
    goal is to get all four converted to J models.
        Senator Tester. Okay. And can you tell us, because this
    directly relates to the answer you just gave, what is the
    timeline for redistributing the H aircraft?
        General Hokanson. Chairman, my understanding in working
    with the Air National Guard, as soon as the J models are
    available that they'll start moving the other, the H3 models
    and 2.5, to the units with the oldest C-130s so that we can
    retain the capability and capacity our Nation needs.
        Senator Tester. So if you don't have it at your fingertips
    now, is it possible to get us that timeline since you said you
    didn't have it?
        General Hokanson. Chairman, absolutely, we'll take that for
    the record.
        [The information follows:]

      --June-August 2021: Texas and West Virginia C-130H3 aircraft depart
            to
            Connecticut and Montana.

      --June-December 2021: Texas and West Virginia receive 5 C-130J
            aircraft each.

      --June-September 2021: Connecticut and Montana divest their C-130H1
            aircraft.

      --June-September 2021: Connecticut and Montana receive the C-130H3
            aircraft that departed Texas and West Virginia.

      --July-November 2021: Kentucky C-130H2.5 aircraft depart to Delaware.

      --July-November 2021: Delaware C-130H2 aircraft depart to various
            locations.

      --October-December 2021: Kentucky receives 2 C-130J aircraft.

        Senator Tester. Okay. Thank you.
        There have been discussions throughout the year, mobility
    capabilities and requirement studies, on this total end
    strength for Air Force's 130 fleet.
        Can you comment on the Air National Guard's requirements?
        General Hokanson. Mr. Chairman, we're waiting. I know in
    July is when the mobility capabilities requirements study comes
    out and previously they have not included the domestic
    requirements here in the United States and so we're asking that
    they consider that because we think that that may influence the
    actual number of C-130s that the Air Force would retain.
        Senator Tester. All right. Okay. Yes. And so how many C-
    130s is the Air Force Reserve seeking to upgrade?
        General Scobee. Chairman, right now in the Air Force
    Reserve, we are in good shape across the spectrum in our C-
    130s.
        What we have prioritized is (1) upgrade of our H models and
    making sure that they're still viable going forward and the
    other thing is in our special missions. You're very familiar
    with our firefighting capability, our aerial spray capability,
    and our hurricane hunters.
        The hurricane hunters have already been upgraded to C-130Js
    and right now we're looking at between our fire-fighting mobile
    airborne firefighting units and the aerial spray units to also
    upgrade those to C-130Js and we're on the timeframe to do that
    now with the Secretary of the Air Force.
        Senator Tester. Thank you.
        This is a question for all of you. The horrific crime of
    sexual assault is finally getting the attention it needs from
    this Administration, and I commend Secretary Austin for calling
    for a 90-day independent review commission.
        So to all of you, why is sexual assault on the rise in many
    of your components? Is there a difference between units or
    regions of the country or is it a command climate issue?
        General Bellon. Senator, I first want to start by
    acknowledging that the service takes sexual assault extremely
    seriously. We understand that our most solemn obligation is to
    the families and the citizens who give us the young Marines and
    sailors who elect to serve and our moral obligation is to
    provide a safe environment for them to develop not only as
    sailors and Marines but also as citizens.
        So there is no course of action that Congress may suggest
    to increase the opportunity for safety and to increase the
    overall wellness of those Marines and sailors that we would
    even begin to think adversely about. So we're open to all COAs
    in order to get us to a better place.
        I do acknowledge that within the Marine Corps the reporting
    has increased. There's several different ways to look at that
    and one of that is that, you know, the first thing we had to do
    is establish credibility with the force that by reporting they
    could trust the institution to do something about that and we
    believe that that's part of the increase in reporting. That by
    no way mitigates the actual crimes that are being committed.
        So what we're trying to do with overall health and wellness
    of the force, particularly with sexual assault, is to continue
    to educate, continue to hold accountable those transgressors,
    and to increase the overall safety at all bases and stations
    for our young people.
        Senator Tester. General Daniels.
        General Daniels. Across the Army Reserve, we're seeing our
    numbers declining. However, that does not make us a perfect
    organization as any of these numbers is just too many.
        So we're still tackling the challenges. We're working on
    our command climate. We're working on using--this is my squad
    philosophy to get after those conversations, to have soldiers
    and their leaders have much greater interaction and knowledge
    of backgrounds, to make sure that we're treating everyone with
    dignity and respect, and they're all brought in.
        We've done an extensive effort to retrain our lawyers and
    refresh their capabilities so that they have immediate
    conversations with all new commanders so that commanders know
    and understand their responsibilities should these allegations
    come forward.
        We've had a lot of retraining and reinvigorating of
    knowledge of dignity and respect across all of our formations
    and we will continue to do so. We're taking a hard look at how
    should our programs be structured. Is there a difference
    between preventative measures and then response measures?
    Should these programs be delivered in different methods, and so
    we're taking a really hard look at all this to help our force
    turn out a much better outcome.
        Thank you.
        Senator Tester. General Hokanson.
        General Hokanson. Chairman, shortly after becoming the
    Chief of the National Guard Bureau, we stood up a sexual
    assault task force because obviously what we've been doing in
    the past has not made a significant difference and so we're
    looking across all 54 States and territories and D.C. to look
    at those programs that seem to show promise and make sure that
    we invest in that, and I'm looking forward in June to see the
    readout from that group.
        Some of the things that we learned is obviously alcohol and
    bystanders are a factor. We need to address that immediately.
    Also, the training of our sexual assault response coordinators
    is making sure we get enough class dates for them, so we have
    trained personnel in all of our organizations, and, frankly,
    sir, as the father of a daughter that serves in the military,
    this is intolerable and it is something we must address at
    every venue.
        Senator Tester. Thank you, General.
        Admiral.
        Admiral Mustin. Not surprisingly and very consistently
    amongst all the Reserve chiefs, the elimination of destructive
    behaviors of every kind is, first and foremost, on our minds.
        We also, as General Daniels mentioned, are seeing a
    reduction in the numbers of sexual assault. We peaked in 2019.
    We saw a slight decrease in 2020 and are on glide slope now to
    continue that decrease.
        I agree that the increase in reporting is helpful. We've
    determined now that the culture of excellence umbrella concept
    is designed to demonstrate what right looks like. So the
    creation of a culture wherein every sailor can serve in an
    environment where they're not only safe but they're encouraged
    to perform is the outcome we seek and, frankly, while we see--
    the elimination, of course, is paramount, but every single
    incidence is one too many.
        And so we are all driven together and this is not a Navy
    Reserve initiative but a Navy initiative. So our culture of
    excellence is the umbrella concept. Our task force One Navy
    recently did a deep dive across multi-constituent/multi-
    stakeholder leadership to determine what is it that we can
    implicate at the lowest ranks where we see the predominance of
    reporting and of incidence.
        So we continue to look at that from the bottom up as well
    as from the top down, but I think you'll find consistency
    amongst all of us in our approach.
        Senator Tester. And General Scobee.
        General Scobee. Chairman Tester, as you can hear from my
    fellow witnesses, we are in lockstep on our way forward and, in
    fact, we meet on a regular basis to discuss issues just like
    this.
        This tears at the fabric of who we are as the Department of
    Defense and while we continue to make strides in supporting our
    victims of this scourge, we also recognize that sexual assault
    is a persistent challenge that we will have to work with
    together and it's not easily beaten by any stretch.
        One of the things we're working with specifically in the
    Air Force Reserve Command is ensuring we have a climate that
    does not promote this type of behavior and we remove the
    opportunity at every chance we get the opportunity to do.
        The other thing is the currency we work in within the
    Department of Defense's trust and our airmen, especially if
    they've been victimized by this, have to trust that we as
    commanders will do the right thing for them and get them the
    help that they need and all these things we're working together
    to ensure that we're doing for our members.
        Senator Tester. Thank you.
        I apologize to the committee members for running over, but
    this is an issue that has to be addressed, has to be addressed
    ASAP. As one of you has already pointed out, even one incidence
    is one too many.
        Senator Shelby.
        Senator Shelby. Thank you.
        General Hokanson, I'm concerned about the enduring cost of
    having National Guard and Reserve troops here on the Capitol
    Grounds. I have two questions.
        One, what is the impact of those costs to your budget, 2021
    budget, and, two, at what point do you truly reach a budgetary
    breaking point if you do not receive resources to backfill
    those costs?
        General Hokanson. Senator, the cost since January 6 is
    about $521 million to the National Guard and we've cash flowed
    that through our pay allowances and operations and maintenance
    funds.
        We will need that funding back in our accounts by the first
    of August. Otherwise, it will impact our drill periods for both
    August and September.
        Senator Shelby. In the area of readiness and modernization,
    General Daniels and General Hokanson, this question, can you
    tell us here more about the requirement behind this new model,
    how it will be resourced, and what overall improvements it will
    provide for our Guard and Reserve components in the Army?
        General Daniels, you want to start?
        General Daniels. So, I'm sorry, the REARM Model, is that--
    --
        Senator Shelby. Mm-hmm.
        General Daniels. Yes, sir. So what that will do, it will
    allow us to do multiple different things. One is to have
    regional affiliations, habitual relationships with units, and
    it will also give us additional predictability in terms of how
    long we're going to be spent during modernization, training,
    and then mission. So it will allow us to get into a very
    predictable cycle for our units and that will help the
    employers and the families and the service members know when
    they're going to be going off and doing these missions.
        General Hokanson. And, sir, with the National Guard, the
    benefit there is if you look at our State partnership, we're
    already regionally aligned and particularly with the Army
    National Guard, we've taken our eight divisions and actually
    allocated the subordinate force structures so they're actually
    eight full divisions. So that will allow us to help deter and
    also be part of the total Army so that we can align those units
    and develop long-term training relationships not only with our
    State partners but also in those regions.
        Senator Shelby. General Hokanson, with the recent riots and
    cyber attacks against the U.S., what's the National Guard's
    role in defending the homeland from cyber attacks, and how is
    it working with other Federal agencies with similar
    responsibilities?
        Finally, does the Guard have the resources it needs for
    cyber defense, the personnel and everything?
        General Hokanson. Yes, sir. If you look at our cyber
    forces, we have about 4,000 cyber professionals within the
    National Guard and that's in 59 units and 40 States. We also
    have what's called a Defensive Cyber element in each State and
    we did a year-long study under the CMAT (Cyber Mission
    Assurance Team) Program which basically looked at a CST-type
    and what came out of that is we believe that establishing those
    existing units to be aligned with what Cybercom would utilize
    and we would man, train, and equip them the same. They would
    provide that capability within each State.
        If you look over the past year and a half, we had two
    incidents, both in Louisiana and Texas, where the Governors
    activated their cyber professionals within the National Guard
    under State Active Duty to address a cyber attack, one to a
    school district and another one to a county, and using
    Louisiana as an example, they were able to come in and mitigate
    the ransomware and save tens of thousands of IT systems which,
    as we all know, is something a school district could not absorb
    with their budget.
        Senator Shelby. General, the CBO (Congressional Budget
    Office) in the area of Space National Guard and Reserve that
    you mentioned earlier, the CBO has estimated that an additional
    $100 million annually will be required to create a Space
    National Guard and Reserve unit with a bill up to $490 million
    annually for a larger Space Guard.
        Given the level of defense funding proposed by the current
    Administration, how does the National Guard plan to prioritize
    resources for modernization while also standing up a new
    service component and do it without more resources?
        General Hokanson. Sir, the actual cost is about $200,000
    and that's just to change the name tapes on their uniform and
    the sign outside their buildings and the flags of the unit.
        The units already exist. They're already performing the
    mission today. We don't need any additional MILCON (Military
    Construction) or any additional over-structure. We basically
    just take the folks that are doing today and instead of Air
    Force, it says Space Force on their name tag with an extra
    weekend.
        Senator Shelby. That's good news, best I've heard in a long
    time. Thank you.
        General Hokanson. Yes, sir.
        Senator Tester. Senator Durbin.
        Senator Durbin. Thanks very much, Mr. Chairman.
        I want to focus for a minute on January 6 and ask General
    Hokanson as follows. If we use some 26,000 National Guardsmen,
    and I thank all of them, their families, for their service to
    our country and sacrifice, as well as others, COVID-19, but if
    we use some 26,000 to protect this Capitol after the
    insurrectionist mob overran the Capitol on January 6,
    conversations are ongoing about what to do next.
        I'm afraid all the prospects are terrible in terms of the
    access of the public to this building, but I wonder if you were
    in on those conversations and whether there's a basic question
    asked as to whether we have to go beyond the National Guard and
    Reserve and really think of a permanent military presence on
    Capitol Hill.
        General Hokanson. Senator, with respect to that, I was
    basically in many cases just asked to provide force and so I
    worked directly with the 54 to make sure that we got the
    personnel that were required to get here.
        When I did get a chance to read the Task Force 1-6 report,
    looking back, I tend to agree with the Number 1 requirement
    that there's a lack of number of U.S. Capitol Police officers
    which caused the reliance on other agencies and so when I look
    at this as a Guardsman, I see this primarily as a law
    enforcement issue and I think it would be a law enforcement
    solution to that.
        Obviously until that capability is there, the Guard is
    there to do whatever we're asked to do and currently, sir, the
    2,300 that we have here today are scheduled to end their
    mission on the 23rd of May and we are not aware of any
    requirement beyond that and so at that time our folks will all
    go home.
        Senator Durbin. well, it really raises a basic practical
    question. If the complement of law enforcement is not adequate
    to the challenge, for instance, the thousands that left the
    President's rally and came marching up here to crash through
    the windows and doors and to assault the policemen and that,
    there was need for supplemental help for sure,----
        General Hokanson. Yes, sir.
        Senator Durbin [continuing]. And it took several hours but
    they arrived and finally brought the Capitol back under
    control.
        I'm just asking whether or not that is something that is
    naturally a National Guard function or should be a regular
    military function.
        General Hokanson. Sir, if we look at our full-time manning
    within the National Guard, they're basically there to
    administer and train the part-time force. We don't really have
    any forces that are there full time with a dedicated mission
    set and so for us to do that, it would cause some legislative
    changes for the National Guard to do that.
        Senator Durbin. Okay. Let me ask a follow-up question. At
    the heart of domestic terrorism in America, according to the
    FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) and the Attorney General,
    is white supremacy, racism, white nationalism. We're seeing in
    those who were arrested and charged with January 6 veterans of
    the military and I think in one instance, at least one, Active
    military who were participating.
        So if the issue of sexual predation should be dominant in
    our thinking, so, too, should the issue of racism in the ranks.
        General Hokanson. Yes, sir.
        Senator Durbin. What are we doing, what are you doing to
    deal with this issue and to make certain that it is not a
    challenge to the integrity of your unit?
        General Hokanson. Yes, Senator. So we follow very closely
    the training requirements of both the Army and the Air Force
    and, frankly, there is no room for extremism of any sort within
    our organization and so we rely on our lower level commanders
    and our adjutants general when they identify personnel that may
    be susceptible to this that they either address it within the
    military chain of command or within local law enforcement,
    whichever is the appropriate means.
        Senator Durbin. So let me ask, General Bellon, would you
    like to comment on the same issue?
        General Bellon. Sir, at this time we're adequately
    resourced. We project forward. As you know, the service is in
    the middle of a force design and the commandant has made it
    very clear that we're looking at reinventing ourselves within
    the resources we currently have and so at this point in time,
    we're not asking for additional resources.
        Senator Durbin. Sir, I'm sorry, on the issue of race and
    discriminatory conduct and such, would you comment on what's
    being done?
        General Bellon. Yes. I think, as we talked about before
    with sexual assault, the first part is acknowledging it and I
    can report to Congress at every level of the Marine Corps as I
    engage from second lieutenants in Quantico all the way up to my
    peers, we are actively acknowledging the problem, and it is not
    a nice to have, it is not an additional burden for us to solve.
    It is a primary problem set within the culture of the service.
        By talking about that and by signaling at every level that
    this is the priority, then the natural culture of our service
    to align, follow orders, and execute priorities kicks into
    effect, and from my experience, the level of candor that goes
    on in the conversations right now, I've never seen anything
    like it on any issue.
        The acknowledgement, the candor, the sharing of the
    different underrepresented populations about what their life is
    like as a minority, for example, or what they perceive on
    social media and how it contradicts our culture is exceptional,
    is exceptional right now and that's the beginning.
        Senator Durbin. Thank you for that, and there have been
    programs. I won't take any more time of the committee this
    morning, but there have been programs which have suggested that
    even though we nominally ended racism in the military in the
    1940s under President Truman, the reality is much different and
    I think that can be said across America in many different
    venues.
        I think we have to take a very honest, forthright, and open
    position on this, that if you're a racist, you have no place in
    the military. If you're guilty of sexual predation, you have no
    place in the military.
        I hope that that is clear and I'm going to ask each of the
    branches to respond as I don't want to take any more time this
    morning.
        Thank you.
        Senator Tester. Senator Collins.
        Senator Collins. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        General Hokanson, as you indicated, the year 2020 was
    unprecedented in terms of National Guard activations and
    deployments. The main Guard, for example, has deployed service
    members to our southern border to assist the overworked and
    overwhelmed Border Patrol, to Africa to help with security
    missions, to Washington, D.C., to provide support for our
    Capitol Police, all the while assisting the State of Maine with
    clinics and logistics and responding to the pandemic.
        During all of this activity, the Air Guard Wing in Bangor,
    Maine, continues its extraordinary work refueling our tankers.
        General, the average age of the Maine National Guard's 10
    KC-135s stationed in Bangor is over 60 years old. They are
    pressed into service to operate all over the world and Bangor's
    a critical location for flights crossing the Atlantic.
        Can you provide us with some insight on the roadmap that
    the Guard and the Air Force are using to recapitalize this
    aging tanker fleet and ensure that units like Bangor, which are
    in strategic geographic locations, are able to continue their
    vital mission long into the future?
        General Hokanson. Yes, Senator. So when we look at the
    recapitalization with the KC-46 fleet, the next analysis are
    for 7 and 8, are coming out I believe in 2023, and so they'll
    look very closely at each of the mission sets, the locations,
    and the unit's capability to convert, but between now and then
    and actually long after that for the rest of our KC-135 fleet,
    it's absolutely critical to our Nation's defense not only in
    terms of day-to-day requirements but also other requirements,
    as well, and so we're working with the Air Force to make sure
    we've got a 25-year plan.
        I think some of these aircraft may be approaching a hundred
    years old, but the recapitalization and investment in those air
    frames is critical so that we can maintain that required
    capability and capacity for our Nation.
        Senator Collins. Well, I would welcome your coming to see
    the Air Refueling Wing and would be delighted to host you for a
    visit. I think you'd be very impressed.
        General Hokanson. Yes, ma'am, would love to get there.
        Senator Collins. I recently traveled to the southwest
    border and witnessed the ongoing crisis there. I very much
    appreciate the work of the Maine guardsmen and women who have
    been supporting the Border Patrol in Arizona. I happened to go
    to Texas.
        I understand that the Department of Defense has received a
    request from the Department of Homeland Security to continue
    supporting these border deployments beyond the end of the
    fiscal year.
        What is the status of the planning to extend the Guard's
    presence into the new fiscal year?
        General Hokanson. So, Senator, we received that request
    recently. I know it's going through the Office of the Secretary
    of Defense right now to determine how that's going to be
    resourced going forward with the rescinding of the Declaration
    of National Emergency, a Title 10 authorization.
        We're looking out for the guardsmen to potentially fill
    that but it may be Active component, but they're looking at all
    options right now, ma'am, but we know the current units that
    are scheduled there are to come home on the 30th of September.
    So we're making sure that we do this as quickly as possible to
    notify those forces so that there's no break in coverage.
        Senator Collins. Given the 20-year high in the number of
    migrants crossing the border, it is evident that the Border
    Patrol agents simply, though they work so hard, are overwhelmed
    and really need assistance. So I hope that will be approved or
    that Active Duty forces will assist them.
        Thank you.
        General Hokanson. Yes, Senator.
        Senator Tester. Senator Feinstein.
        Senator Feinstein. Thanks very much, Mr. Chairman.
        My question is of you, General Hokanson, and I very much
    appreciate your highlighting the California National Guard's
    very heroic efforts battling wildfires.
        Last year alone, four million acres in California burned,
    10,000 structures were destroyed, 5,000 of them homes, 31
    people lost their lives. So I am very interested in what the
    Guard can do to be helpful to us.
        Do you have any suggestions that you might care to make?
        General Hokanson. Senator, thank you for the question, and
    thankfully there was a river between one of those fires and my
    parents' house.
        Senator Feinstein. Wow!
        General Hokanson. But when we look at the way we fight
    forest fires, we've really kind of taken the approach that
    we've learned from hurricanes and this March was the first time
    we actually had a wild land firefighting symposium where we
    brought all the States together that fight forest fires along
    with the National Interagency Fire Center to take really a
    different approach because it's no longer a fire season. We
    start to call it a fire year now.
        What we've tried to do is identify, particularly in
    California, Washington this year where aviation units may be
    deploying, and identifying States to make sure that they train
    their air crews so they can fill that gap in case there's a
    need in California or any of the States that fight wild land
    firefighting.
        We're also looking at the ability when we look at some of
    our Title 32 Active, Guard, and Reserve personnel.
    Traditionally, they are only on for 72 hours under immediate
    response authority.
        We're working on a policy which I should have completed by
    the end of the month to give adjutants general the ability to
    retain some of those personnel on an emergency basis to help
    support firefighting because it's absolutely critical our
    leaders are with them at all times.
        Senator Feinstein. I note that--first of all, thank you for
    that answer--that some 14 percent of the Guard members lack
    health insurance. It's my understanding that while on Active
    Duty orders for more than 30 days, guardsmen are eligible for
    military medical coverage. However, once their orders end or if
    members are activated for less than a month, they have fewer
    options.
        Would this be something we might be able to do to be
    helpful and encourage people to remain in the Guard and serve
    as your Guard serves in California which is really top of the
    ladder?
        General Hokanson. Senator, that would be--that's my Number
    1 legislative priority is to get premium free healthcare for
    all of our guardsmen.
        When we look at the past year and what we asked them to do,
    particularly we did not know what a COVID environment would be
    like, we always want the family members and the service member
    to know that no matter what we ask them to do because we ask
    them to be ready at any time, that they're medically ready and
    if anything happens, if they're injured or sick before or after
    their duty, that they know that they're going to get the care
    they need to continue their civilian employment or their
    military employment.
        One of the other things we're concerned of is when you go
    from orders, sometimes you have to change medical care from
    your civilian provider to Tricare and in some cases they'd have
    to find new medical providers, but by it being a standardized
    process and coverage, they could keep that same healthcare
    provider through all of it which we think is really important.
        And lastly, ma'am, one of the things we've looked at is
    when we look at the number of soldiers and airmen that don't
    have healthcare coverage, if they have access to mental health
    care or counseling, if that might benefit the number of
    suicides that we have in our organization.
        Senator Feinstein. Well, thank you. I'd be very happy to
    work with you on that and I would suspect other members would,
    as well.
        I'm a big fan of the Guards and when these wildfires come
    to California, we really see with great appreciation their
    service. So I want you to know that.
        Thank you very much.
        General Hokanson. Thank you, ma'am.
        Senator Tester. Senator Murkowski.
        Senator Murkowski. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you
    all for being here this morning and for your service.
        General Hokanson, I'd like to start with you, if I may. In
    recent conversations that I've had with Major General Sacks,
    he's the Alaska TAG, we were discussing the search and rescue
    mission there in Alaska and the 176 Wing located at JBER (Joint
    Base Elmendorf-Richardson). There are three rescue squadrons,
    you're familiar with them, which utilize the HH60 in their
    operations.
        We're told that the HH60s belonging to the 176 have the
    highest operational tempo in the Air Force and the highest
    utilization rate. We know that the Wing needs some additional
    and some upgraded H60s to keep up with the mission demands and
    to support the growing focus the DOD (Department of Defense)
    has placed on the region, on the Arctic region.
        The current plan to bed down additional aircraft in Alaska
    isn't targeted until 2026 and so you've got kind of a
    misalignment there, if you will, with the growth in mission
    requirements, the operational requirements, and the aging of
    the existing helicopters.
        So can you update me? Are there options that exist to allow
    for perhaps a reprioritization of these assets, and then also
    is the utilization rate calculated into the decisionmaking
    process?
        General Hokanson. Yes, Senator, and so obviously as a
    former rescue pilot, I follow 176 very closely, and they do an
    incredible amount of rescues and----
        Senator Murkowski. They're amazing.
        General Hokanson [continuing]. Make a huge impact every
    day, and I'll be working with the Air Force. I'll make sure,
    Number 1, that we have no gap in coverage in terms of the
    number of aircraft there, but also ask that they take a look
    at, based on the operational tempo and the requirements,
    particularly unique to Alaska, especially as the Arctic begins
    to open more and there may be additional requirements for them
    in that area.
        I know the future combat rescue helicopter, once that's
    online, our maintenance rates should go up on those, but
    between now and then, I think it's 2026, I'll continue to work
    with the Air Force to see if we can get reprioritization or
    additional aircraft to cover the gap.
        Senator Murkowski. Well, I appreciate your eyes on that and
    the fact that your background allows you to be intimately
    familiar with their mission. I appreciate that, but we are
    concerned about any potential for gap because what they do and
    what they provide is extraordinary unique and they truly are
    the best of the best there.
        I appreciate your response to Senator Shelby here with
    regards to the Space Force. As you know, we currently have
    members of both the Guard and the Reserve in Alaska that are
    working to support the Space Force missions there in Alaska.
        I understand that you've given a little bit of background
    in terms of the CBO score and the cost but know that we're
    certainly at the ready to do what we can to help with that very
    important mission.
        Another question to you relating to suicide and mental
    health issues. This is something that I have paid particular
    attention to within this subcommittee, making sure that our
    service men and women and their families are cared for.
        We all know that this past year has been tough on everybody
    and you couple the effects of the pandemic with the challenges
    that you have in certain areas, particularly remote
    assignments, like Alaska, but I don't know if you can speak to
    the statistics within the Guard, whether we've seen an increase
    in suicides this past year, and then what more we can be doing
    to provide those levels of support for mental health and
    behavioral health issues that may exist within the National
    Guard.
        General Hokanson. Senator, we actually watched this very
    closely over the past year and at the end of 2020, we were
    actually just one below our 10-year average, but, frankly, any
    one is devastating, not only to the family but also to the
    organization, and I actually stood up a Suicide Prevention Task
    Force to take a look at what we're doing across the entire
    National Guard.
        Coming into today, we're about five below where we were
    last year at this time, but, once again, any single one of
    those is just a devastating impact to the entire organization.
        One thing that we've done is we've looked at some
    additional programs and we have 27 pilots that we're running,
    pilot programs. We reached out to the 54 States and territories
    that they brought up as potential benefit to our service
    members, and one I'd like to highlight is called SPRING. It's
    the Suicide Prevention Readiness Initiative for the National
    Guard.
        What it does is it takes existing data from every county in
    the United States and identifies potential risk factors and
    when they reach a certain level, the adjutants general and the
    commanders wit State can assess a region based on the things
    that are taking place within those counties and also hopefully
    preventively address that and provide additional training or
    counselors within that region to make sure that our service
    members know that there's opportunities for them to discuss any
    concerns they might have.
        Senator Murkowski. Appreciate that. Mr. Chairman, I think
    that's an interesting approach, recognizing that oftentimes
    these factors are community-based, regionally-based. So I look
    forward to knowing and understanding a little bit more.
        Thank you.
        Senator Tester. Thank you.
        I believe we have Senator Schatz virtually.
        Senator Schatz. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        Thank you to all of our panelists. I want to continue the
    line of questioning from Senator Murkowski regarding mental
    health access and suicide prevention.
        You know, I think there's two issues. One is making sure
    that Guard members, while being deployed, don't feel
    stigmatized from accessing mental health services and the other
    is, to the extent that we're making progress in that area, in
    reducing stigma and encouraging everybody across our society to
    understand that mental health is just health and that every
    Guard member ought to access those services, I worry a bit
    about the transition from deployment to regular life when they
    have access to all these great services and programs and
    initiatives that you've started up and then they're back to
    their regular life and may need continuing mental health
    services and that transition can be challenging.
        So could you speak to both issues, the stigma issue and
    then how do we transition when someone's coming out of their
    deployment?
        General Hokanson. Yes, Senator. So when we look at the day-
    to-day, the stigmatism related to that, when folks come off
    deployment, they have the opportunity to meet with medical
    professionals on their way out and they can request help and
    they can also be aware of the services available to them and
    that extends for about 6 months post deployment.
        Also, they do a periodic health assessment, which allows
    them to go online and fill out a lot of questions and having
    recently done it, they ask a lot of questions, if they have any
    mental health concerns, if they'd like to see someone, and they
    can do that really anonymously.
        Now with respect to the enduring concern, this really goes
    back to my Number 1 priority legislatively and that is to
    pursue Tricare Reserve Select for all of our guardsmen where
    they don't pay for any principal related to that.
        The key there is that way, it's always available to them
    because you never know when you're going to need it because
    your life situation can change at any time, but knowing that
    they can get mental healthcare or see a counselor, I think is
    something that we don't know the benefits of but I believe it
    certainly will help.
        Senator Schatz. Thank you, General, and you certainly have
    my support for that very important legislative initiative.
        Moving on to the Asia Pacific Region, you know, I have
    talked to Indo PACOM commanders or ambassadors in the region.
    Everybody loves the State Partnership Program. So I'm wondering
    if you could just help us to understand how we can use the
    State Partnership Program to support Indo PACOM Pacific
    deterrence initiative.
        General Hokanson. Yes, sir. So when you look at the
    National Guards, over 20 percent of the entire Joint Force and
    specifically to the Indo PACOM Region, we have 13 state
    partnerships. In fact, as the adjutant general of Oregon, I had
    state partnerships with both Bangladesh and Vietnam, and the
    great asset that it provides to the Indo PACOM commander is
    we're fully integrated into their theater security cooperation
    plan and these enduring relationships that we've built with
    these countries also is an additional U.S. presence but also
    gives us many times the opportunity to counter some of the
    messaging that they receive from China and other countries.
        So I think it's absolutely critical we continue that and
    we're in close coordination with Indo PACOM to help in any way
    we can with their Pacific Defense Initiative.
        Senator Schatz. One final question. You know, we lose some
    time obviously during COVID as everybody did with partners and
    just wondering how we're specifically focusing on relationships
    that were maybe tenuous but being built and then COVID
    interrupted that relationship-building in the context of the
    State Partnership Program.
        Are there particular countries that we're sort of anxious
    to get moving again in terms of our partnerships with?
        General Hokanson. Yes, Senator, and, in fact, I would say
    we're pretty anxious to get back with all of them as quickly as
    we can.
        The one thing that was nice is I think on both of our
    parts, our part and our state partners, we realized the
    limitations we had in terms of travel and so we're able to find
    virtual ways to connect with them, continue our relationships,
    but we're very much looking forward to the ability to travel to
    all of our state partners as soon as possible to continue to
    develop those relationships.
        Senator Schatz. Thank you. On energy resilience, I just
    wanted to flag the President, as you know, issued an Executive
    Order establishing a Federal Clean Energy Standard. This may
    not have immediately been risen to your desk, but I'm going to
    submit a question for the record about the particular ways in
    which you're going to have to change your procurement process
    in order to comply with the President's Executive Order, but
    I'll submit that to you for a response for the record.
        Thank you.
        General Hokanson. Thank you, Senator.
        Senator Tester. The Senior Senator from Kansas, Senator
    Moran.
        Senator Moran. Mr. Chairman, thank you for that
    recognition. Assuming that it has nothing to do with age, I
    appreciate it.
        General Hokanson, there's a pilot program that was
    authorized in the NDAA (National Defense Authorization Act), in
    the fiscal year 2021 NDAA that would allow the testing and
    development of National Guard partnerships across state lines
    in regard to cybersecurity.
        The opportunity was for the private sector to participate.
    In one State, the National Guard in that State then be able to
    assist other National Guards in another State in regard to
    training, preparation, response to a cybersecurity attack. I
    don't think it's necessary to say but something that's hugely
    important and front and center for all of us.
        As you know, I think, the Kansas National Guard is home to
    some of our Nation's best cybersecurity operators and we also
    have a number of civilian stakeholders who are interested in
    assisting in that mission. So that pilot program has been
    authorized.
        My question is if we provide you with proper funding, is
    the DOD prepared to pursue, make the assessments, tell us how
    that program might work, and do you foresee any roadblocks that
    would prevent the mission that is contemplated by this pilot
    program from being accomplished?
        General Hokanson. Yes, Senator. So I'm looking forward to
    seeing the end results of that, but what we've done internally
    is take a look at that, as well, and I really look at cyber in
    many ways like a hurricane. So we need additional truck
    companies to come down there and the same with cyber.
        If we need additional cyber help through the EMAC
    (Emergency Management Assistance Compacts) process, we can move
    them State to State to provide that capability, and in some
    cases, they don't even need to move. They can operate from
    their current location. So that's very important.
        But I think to your point, a lot of our relationships with
    the civilian providers or companies that have, you know,
    exquisite experience and many of our guardsmen work for them
    and they bring that to their cyber jobs is absolutely critical,
    but when we look at the fact that we're literally, you know, at
    war every day on the cyber battlefield, it's important that our
    guardsmen are trained and up-to-date and they can respond
    wherever they're needed within their communities and that's
    where we look at the State Active Duty capabilities under the
    authority of the Governors to address issues within their State
    or request help from outside the State.
        Senator Moran. General, in my words, I would say that
    you're telling me, telling the committee that this has value,
    and in part it may be accomplished regardless of the outcome of
    the pilot program with the active participation of you and
    those on your team to accomplish it. Is that a fair assessment
    of your response?
        General Hokanson. Yes.
        Senator Moran. And you know of no roadblocks that I need to
    be pursuing to remove?
        General Hokanson. Sir, not at this time. We'll have to work
    specifically with each of the States because some of them have
    different laws that have to be followed, but we work very
    closely with the 54 to look at overarching policies that we can
    put across the entire organization to facilitate the need to
    address any issues within our communities.
        Senator Moran. Also, thank you for recognizing what really
    takes place in Wichita with our Red Team in the private sector
    who employs those Guard members and then that gives them the
    capability to devote significant attention and expertise to
    national security matters. I appreciate you knowing that.
        Let me ask all our witnesses. DD-214 reform, one of the
    things we're trying to overcome is the tremendous burden that
    members of the military and their families encounter when they
    leave the service and my goal is to make it simple for National
    Guard and Reserve members to keep track of their records of
    deployment.
        My question is would you support, do you support providing
    a comprehensive document of military service for the Reserve
    component similar to the DD-214?
        General Daniels. I'll say absolutely, yes, sir, we would
    very much welcome that so that it's easier for members, once
    they've served, to show that they have served and it's a
    universally-accepted document.
        Senator Moran. Has General Daniels received any criticism
    or disagreement from any of her colleagues?
        [No response:]
        Senator Moran. Let the record show that all are in
    agreement.
        My final question in my last 46 seconds, the Moms Leave
    Act. Last year a bill that I authored authorized maternity
    leave for mothers in the Reserve component. That bill was
    signed into law.
        Women in the Guard and Reserve across the United States are
    waiting for the department to implement this law so that they
    receive comparable support to their Active Duty counterparts.
        Does the department require any clarifying language? Are
    there any challenges in getting this implemented so that those
    mothers, mothers-to-be and mothers that are currently in that
    circumstance can receive the benefits of this legislation?
        General Hokanson. Senator, I would say we're working very
    closely with OSD (Office of the Secretary of Defense) on
    implementation guidance and we think this is absolutely the
    right thing to do for our reservists to be treated exactly like
    their Active counterparts, and it's an acknowledgement that we
    need to recognize their service and adjust accordingly.
        Senator Moran. Anyone else have a response?
        General Scobee. Senator Moran, it's Rich Scobee here at the
    end of the table from the Air Force Reserve.
        We are in lockstep with what General Hokanson just talked
    about. In fact, the Reserve chiefs met last week to discuss
    this very issue and so as the department determines how this is
    going to be fleshed out across the board, they are working hard
    with our elected officials to ensure that we get this Act.
        Any barrier that we have to anybody being able to serve
    within our commands is extremely important that we get through
    and that's what we're working on.
        Senator Moran. Thank you. General Daniels.
        General Daniels. As stated, we did talk just like 3 days
    ago about this very matter. So this is high on our list of
    implementation actions.
        Senator Moran. Thank you. It might be hypocritical for me
    to complain about the length of time it's taking for
    implementation because it took a significant amount of time to
    get it passed through Congress, but it is important and
    timeliness does matter.
        Thank you all.
        Senator Tester. Senator Shaheen.
        Senator Shaheen. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, and
    thank you to each of you for your service to this country and
    for your testimony this morning.
        General Hokanson, I want to begin with you and actually I
    should say I should start by echoing the remarks of the
    Chairman and so many of my colleagues with thanks to the Guard
    for all of their extraordinary efforts over the last year as we
    have battled COVID.
        In New Hampshire we could not have done it without the
    National Guard, and they have been on consistent deployment now
    for over 400 days. So I think it's imperative for all of us to
    thank everyone for what they have done. It has made a huge
    difference. So thank you very much.
        I want to go back to Senator Collins' questions about the
    KC-135s because, as you're aware, the 157th Air Refueling Wing
    at Pease was the first National Guard Base to get the KC-46s
    and we were so excited about that. We said good-bye to our last
    KC-135 with the anticipation that we would get those 46s and
    they have come in and now we're the first Guard base to get all
    of our component of the tankers and we can't use them and it's
    really frustrating and I know you all share in that
    frustration.
        But there were serious concerns voiced last year about the
    retirement of our legacy tankers because of the delays in
    getting the KC-46s operational and, in fact, in the fiscal year
    2021 NDAA, we restricted divestment of the KC-10 and KC-135s.
        Now I understand that the President's budget has been
    released or at least the outline and it states that retiring
    legacy systems should be a priority for the Defense budget this
    year.
        Do you agree with that position and perhaps I should ask,
    General?
        General Hokanson. Thank you, Senator. So when I Look at
    the--obviously we do need to modernize, but we also must retain
    the capability and capacity that our Nation needs. So in some
    cases, although we have legacy systems, until they're
    modernized, I think it's important that we continue to retain
    like the KC-135 to meet all the requirements of our Nation.
        Senator Shaheen. General Scobee, do you agree with that?
        General Scobee. Senator Shaheen, I appreciate that question
    very much.
        It is vital that the Air Force is able to project power
    across the world. The KC-46 is the linchpin in that. As General
    Hokanson said, he's exactly right, we are trying to balance the
    new equipment we bring in with modernizing the KC-135 and those
    two air frames are going to be what take us into the future.
        Having had the opportunity to fly the KC-46, two things I
    was able to take from that. One is I'm not as good of a pilot
    as I used to be, and the other thing is, is that it's an
    incredibly capable machine and I know that General Van Ovost at
    AMC (Air Mobility Command) is going to make sure that we get
    all the capabilities out of that we can, and it is also
    fielding the Air Force Reserve now. So my confidence is high we
    are on the right path forward.
        Senator Shaheen. Well, thank you. I've had a chance to fly
    on it, as well, as a passenger and was very impressed with the
    potential, and I guess that adds to the frustration around it.
        Now I understand that the 46s would be able to perform
    other missions and particularly aeromedical missions are on
    that list and that makes our Guard in New Hampshire very
    excited, but one of the challenges to actually doing those
    missions if a new problem that's come up and we don't talk
    about that as much as we do the remote vision systems, but the
    air transportable galley lavatories, basically the bathrooms,
    the ATGLs (Air Transportable Galley-Lavatory) are now a problem
    that I guess we're going to have trouble flying some of those
    missions until that gets fixed.
        Do you have any sense, General Hokanson, when that's going
    to happen and what I can tell the 157th in New Hampshire about
    when they might be able to fly those missions?
        General Hokanson. Ma'am, I do not, but we can certainly get
    back to you on the exact dates until that's resolved.
        Senator Shaheen. Thank you. Also a question for Boeing as
    we see this come up, when we didn't realize--we thought we had
    nailed down the other issues with the tanker and this has
    become a new problem. So thank you. I would appreciate knowing
    more about that.
        I have a final question for you, General Hokanson, because
    one of the challenges that--and I guess, General Daniels, this
    is a concern for you, as well.
        One of the challenges our Guard has in New Hampshire is
    with the age of some of our facilities. They are decades-old
    and replacing those has been costly. The State doesn't have the
    funds to do that at this point.
        So can you talk about how important it is for us to replace
    some of those facilities so that our Guard and Reserve are
    prepared when they're called up?
        General Hokanson. Yes, Senator. If you look within the
    National Guard, 26 percent of our facilities are over 60 years
    old and I know I've worked with General Mikolaities on the
    State not having to have a match, especially during the COVID
    environment, but it's absolutely critical and this really goes
    back to the climate.
        If you look at how inefficient so many of our facilities
    are and everything that we build new or replace, we make sure
    it's modernized and it's more efficient, so it reduces the
    energy to offer those.
        But also if you look at the armories, these were built in
    the '50s and '60s and back then, an infantryman could put
    everything in a wall locker and that's not the case anymore.
    There's significant equipment requirements and security
    requirements.
        So any additional funding we can get, we always put to good
    use.
        Senator Shaheen. Thank you. Do you want to add to that,
    General?
        General Daniels. We're in a very similar situation. We're
    funded at about 86 percent of our requirements and we continue
    to do the best we can with the resources that we've got and we
    continue to look for modernization and efficiencies wherever
    possible.
        Senator Shaheen. Thank you both.
        Mr. Chairman, I know I'm out of time, but I would suggest
    that as we're thinking about any infrastructure package,
    thinking about how we can support our Guard around the country
    would be an important piece of that.
        Thank you all.
        Senator Tester. Senator Hoeven.
        Senator Hoeven. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        General Hokanson, thank you for visiting with me earlier,
    appreciate it, and I want to begin by talking about the MQ-1C
    Gray Eagle. That's important equipment for Active Duty Army. As
    a matter of fact, the Gray Eagle, they operate all across of
    their combat aviation brigades, and so given that the Army
    National Guard is expected to deploy and fight alongside the
    Active Duty counterparts, it seems to me it would be very
    important that you have the Gray Eagle, as well, for your
    soldiers and that you are trained on it, and so I would ask
    your opinion and do you support fielding the MQ-1C Gray Eagle
    for the Army National Guard?
        General Hokanson. Yes, sir, and we look at the Army
    National Guard divisions. So there's 10 Active Duty divisions
    and we're now forming eight National Guard divisions and that
    capability currently resides in the combat aviation brigades on
    Active Duty.
        I want to make sure that our National Guard is equipped and
    looks just like the Active component and so if they have Gray
    Eagles in their combat aviation brigades, I would strongly
    advocate for the same capability within the National Guard so
    that our units are interoperable and we have the same
    capabilities in each of our divisions.
        Senator Hoeven. So what steps need to be taken to
    accomplish that?
        General Hokanson. Sir, I believe the Army would need to be
    resourced because, as we brought the eight additional Guard
    divisions on, those capabilities, like DFARS (Defense
    Acquisition Regulations System) and other organizations, are
    being stood up in the National Guard right now, so that we have
    the same and look the same.
        Senator Hoeven. Also, I want to ask about the MQ-9 Reaper.
    Our Air Guard flies that, the Happy Hooligans, in Fargo, and
    they were one of the very first Guard units to get that
    mission, originally Predator, now Reaper, and they've been
    flying it continuously ever since.
        We're building a new operations facility which is good, but
    we're flying the Block 1 MQ-9, and we need to get to the Block
    5, and so we worked to authorize and fund 16 of the new
    aircraft for this fiscal year. We'll continue to work to do
    that, but I would like, you know, your assurances that for
    Guard units like ours that they will transition in a timely way
    from the Block 1 to the Block 5.
        General Hokanson. Yes, sir, and I believe they're scheduled
    to convert in 2024, about the same time as the facilities will
    be completed, and obviously, sir, if there's any opportunity to
    speed up, we'll work with the Air Force to do that, but I know
    Currently the plan is in fiscal year 2024.
        Senator Hoeven. Appreciate that. My next, I guess, question
    relates to tuition assistance. A huge tool for recruiting and
    retention for the Guard and all Reserve units is making sure
    that the educational benefit is there, both the Federal tuition
    assistance and the G.I. Bill educational benefit, and I have
    put in legislation with Senator Pat Leahy to make sure that the
    Guard and all Reserve components can use both because you need
    it for recruitment to get these--I mean, your business is a
    high-tech business that calls for certainly capable people
    physically but they have to be super sharp now in terms of
    using all the technology, you know, to stay ahead of our
    adversaries. So our legislation would make sure that all Guard
    and all Reserve components could use both.
        Now good news is that the DOD has said yes, we're going to
    do that. So tell me where are we in getting that done and
    getting it out to our soldiers, our men and women in uniform.
        General Hokanson. Yes, sir. So within the Army National
    Guard, we've got it out and we've had that capability
    previously.
        Within the Air National Guard, we've had to fund that and
    currently we have 14 States that are doing that, but based on
    the success of that program, we are now funding within the Air
    National Guard eight additional States every year until we get
    all 54, but, sir, as you mentioned, it's an incredible benefit
    to our guardsmen.
        Senator Hoeven. It really is, and I would welcome comments
    from any of the others on that and the Tricare Reserve Select
    benefit is something that we have to have out there for Guard
    and Reserve, as well, starting with you, General Hokanson, and
    then General Scobee and anyone else that wants to weigh in on
    either of those, the education or healthcare benefit.
        General Hokanson. Yes, sir. As I mentioned, that's my
    Number 1 legislation priority. It's a benefit not only just to
    the medical readiness of the organization but to the family
    members and also it's a benefit to the employer knowing that if
    they employ a guardsman, they have their own healthcare.
        Also, we talked about potentially benefits when it comes to
    suicide prevention by having mental health readily available as
    well as counseling.
        Senator Hoeven. General Scobee.
        General Scobee. Senator Hoeven, exactly right. General
    Hokanson has explained it correctly. What I would really tell
    you from a Reserve perspective, this is a new benefit that we
    have on the education piece, and we're very thankful that you
    started that and that the Department of Defense has followed
    through with what we wanted for our airmen.
        Our airmen now are so much better than they were in the
    past as far as education, high-tech, and the things that we've
    been able to do over the last few decades. We really need these
    benefits because it attracts and retains the airmen that we
    need.
        And then as you talked about, Tricare Reserve Select, we
    are extremely thankful for that benefit. Right now, it's
    scheduled to take place in 2030. We'd like to move that up
    sooner, if able, but the ability for our airmen not to have
    lapses in coverage is exactly what we've been talking about up
    here as a group is to ensure that we have all the medical
    benefits that should be allowed for our members to use,
    especially when it comes to mental illness or anything that
    would happen to them and when they are activated.
        Thank you.
        Senator Hoeven. I know I'm over my time, Mr. Chairman. Just
    any other thoughts that----
        General Scobee. Senator, I'd offer just a slightly
    different perspective. I think all of these benefits are
    welcome by all the service chiefs and they're of great use and
    utility to our force, our future force.
        The problem becomes if you look in the lens of future
    resourcing. Our obligation is to train these young warriors to
    be prepared for the next fight and if we push all of our
    resourcing into education and health benefits, which are
    exceptional, where are we aggregating risk if we're cutting
    into the resources that we really have to use which is
    preparing them for war?
        There's a fine balance here. If there's one pie to slice
    from, we have to look at where we're taking those slices from
    and then consider the actual risk to the human beings that
    we're trusted to safeguard.
        Thank you.
        Senator Hoeven. Appreciate that. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        Senator Tester. Senator Baldwin virtually.
        Senator Baldwin. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        General Hokanson, as we discussed recently, I wrote to the
    DOD Inspector General late last year concerned that not all
    Guard members were protected as whistleblowers due to the
    Inspector General's interpretation of military whistle-blower
    protection statutes.
        The IG (Inspector General) wrote back last month saying
    that it would begin expanding whistleblower protections to
    Guard members operating under Title 32 status. This is a
    welcomed updated, but I really believe that all members of the
    Guard should be protected, regardless of duty status.
        Further, I do not believe it was Congress's intent in
    passing military whistleblower protections to have these
    protections be dependent on a specific duty status instead of
    simply tied to being a member of the Armed Forces in general.
        In Wisconsin, because of brave whistleblowers, the National
    Guard Bureau's Office of Complex Investigations uncovered a
    history of reprisal, retaliation, and command-initiated
    investigations that were out of line with DOD sexual assault
    prevention policy. We have to ensure that these types of
    whistleblowers are protected from reprisal.
        So can you discuss the importance of ensuring that
    whistleblower protections include all Guard personnel, and do
    you support a change in definition of ``member of the Armed
    Forces'' that would ensure whistleblower protections for all
    members of the Guard?
        General Hokanson. Yes, Senator. So when we look at the
    intent of that policy, our key is to work with the 54 adjutants
    general and their States to make sure that they follow the
    intent of that policy unique to their State and so we will look
    very closely with them and work with the adjutants general as
    those are the ones that would implement that to make sure that
    we have a policy that covers all of our Guard members based on
    their service.
        Senator Baldwin. Thank you. General Hokanson, can you
    explain a little about how the Office of Complex Investigations
    works? For example, how are cases assigned, how are
    investigators trained, and how does OCI (Office of Complex
    Investigations) decide which sexual assault cases it
    investigates?
        General Hokanson. Yes, Senator, and thank you for the
    opportunity to talk about this.
        So when we look at our Office of Complex Investigations,
    because 95 percent of what we do operates in the Title 32 or in
    the State status, the majority of time we're not under Title 10
    and so we rely on our local law enforcement and local
    prosecutors to address serious events, specifically sexual
    assault, and in cases where the local law enforcement may not
    take the case, we have created an administrative review under
    our Office of Complex Investigation.
        In that case, the victim or the adjutant general can ask
    for the OCI to come into their State and conduct an
    investigation, administrative, and make recommendations to the
    chain of command and so what that allows us to do is to take a
    look at some cases that may not be accepted or may not meet the
    criteria of local law enforcement and it gives us an avenue to
    address those issues.
        When we look at where we are today, traditionally we had
    about 18 to 24. Shortly after becoming the Chief of the
    National Guard Bureau, I reached out to the 54. We were able to
    get 32 trained investigators right now. We also separated it
    from our General Counsel and is independently and is now led by
    a general officer with legal background in a civilian career
    who General Walker is doing some incredible work making sure
    that we look at all of the new cases but also the backlogs.
        The key is we're trying to get the older ones done as
    quickly as possible so that we can get current and reduce the
    timeframe from when it's reported until that adjutant general
    receives a completed report.
        Senator Baldwin. Does the Office of Complex Investigations
    have enough investigators to investigate every case sent to it
    from the States at the current staffing level?
        General Hokanson. Senator, we could always use more
    resources. For us, it's finding qualified personnel across the
    organization that have the time to do this or could leave their
    civilian career to do this. So we could obviously always use
    more, but it's a fine line between that and those capable to do
    it that are volunteering to do it.
        Senator Baldwin. Yes. How many investigators would the
    Office of Complex Investigations need to keep current and what
    funding or other assistance from Congress could help you get
    there?
        General Hokanson. So, Senator, I know we have 32 today and
    General Walker recently came onboard. He's doing a complete
    review of the entire organization. So if you don't mind, I
    would prefer to get back to you directly from him because I
    know he's looking at the caseload and the number of folks he
    would need and the exact resources.
        Senator Baldwin. I appreciate that and will look forward to
    that information.
        Let me add on to that. What would the National Guard Bureau
    require in order to have the Office of Complex Investigations
    do, say, top-down reviews for each Guard unit on a rotational
    basis or as a matter of routine in order to ensure that their
    sexual assault policies are in line with Federal law?
        General Hokanson. Yes, Senator, I'll defer to General
    Walker and I'll get his specifics there, but I know this is
    something that we work with our 54 adjutants general to make
    sure that they're following the policies directed by each of
    the services and that they meet those requirements and that we
    review them to make sure that they have the personnel assigned
    to the areas where they're supposed to be and also to make sure
    they're trained and one thing this has brought up is the
    availability of school seats.
        Also, the unique environment the national guardsmen operate
    in since 95 percent of our time is in a Title 32 status and so
    we're actually right now exploring the potential of creating
    our own schoolhouse to really take the best of what the Army
    and the Air Force does but also train to the unique environment
    the National Guard operates in.
        Senator Tester. Thank you, Senator Baldwin.
        Senator Baldwin. Appreciate that. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        Senator Tester. Yes. Thank you, Senator Baldwin.
        Senator Boozman.
        Senator Boozman. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you all
    for being here.
        I also want to echo the great job that the Guard and
    Reserve did during COVID. Just last week, the Arkansas National
    Guard concluded its 13-month mission to help distribute roughly
    56 million pieces of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) to our
    communities and medical facilities. I think that just
    illustrates what went on all over the country. So be sure and
    pat yourselves on the back and all of those that have worked
    so, so very hard.
        Lieutenant General Daniels, I enjoyed our recent
    conversation hearing about your efforts to recruit and retain
    soldiers. The Army Reserve contains a significant amount of the
    Army's medical capabilities with many of your soldiers having
    civilian careers in various medical fields.
        Can you walk us through your efforts with the Urban
    Augmentation Medical Task Forces and the role they are designed
    to play in combating COVID-19?
        General Daniels. Thank you, Senator.
        We took a paper that had been written and within 48 hours
    created these Urban Augmentation Medical Task Forces of 85
    medical professionals and within 2 weeks were then putting them
    up into the Northeast cities and places where those hospitals
    were under great stress to help provide some relief.
        We were very careful and cautious where we pulled these
    individuals from so they were not hurting their local
    communities but were in a place that they could go and provide
    assistance to others.
        We deployed 15 of those very early on and then later during
    the COVID response, we put another three out to the West Coast
    and we had another four on standby.
        Senator Boozman. Now that's a great story and in normal
    times that 48 hours would take months and months and months,
    maybe years. So thank you for your leadership and again, you
    know, making things happen.
        General Hokanson, in your written testimony, you spoke
    about providing the necessary forces to meet Joint Force
    mission. You mentioned several Guard units that deploy overseas
    and the extensive training that is necessary for them to go.
    Locations, such as Fort Chaffee in Arkansas, have the
    capabilities to provide first-class alternate locations for
    units to train to meet the growing demand of Joint Force.
        I guess the question is can you comment on the current
    readiness of the National Guard and do you have the necessary
    capacity needed to train those forces?
        General Hokanson. Yes, Senator. So when we look at the
    current readiness, even despite the COVID environment, we met
    every single one of our overseas deployment requirements and
    also we met every requirement from our Governors.
        However, that did have an impact on us, particularly when
    you look at recruiting, the inability to meet face to face like
    we previously had, has caused a lot of innovative ways to get
    recruiting and retention and also training.
        Now you train virtually and now we're to the point where,
    you know, with maintaining social distancing and all the other
    requirements, we're able to continue our training and also, in
    fact, it was the National Guard's 34th Armored Brigade Combat
    Team was the first one to go through a combat training center
    rotation in a COVID environment.
        But, sir, aside from that, when we look at Fort Chaffee and
    a lot of our other training areas, it's absolutely critical
    that we maintain those so that we have the ability to train our
    guardsmen within their States or nearby because the amount of
    training space that we have and ranges is continually getting
    encroached upon.
        Senator Boozman. Right.
        General Hokanson. So it's important for us to retain every
    single one of those.
        Senator Boozman. Very good. General, in your written
    testimony you stated, ``The National Guard is a lethal, cost-
    effective, dual-role operational force that provides strategic
    depth to the Army, Air Force, and Space Force, and responds to
    crisis in our homeland. Some estimates put that cost
    effectiveness of the Guard at 30 cents on the dollar.''
        Knowing that, would you say that the Guard funding request
    from the services have been adequate over the years, and then
    also how critical is the National Guard and Reserve equipment
    account funding to the continued operations of the Guard,
    particularly in domestic missions supporting the homeland?
        General Hokanson. So, sir, related to the last question
    with NGREA, the equipment account, it's absolutely critical to
    the modernization of the National Guard and I think all of our
    Reserve components.
        Our services don't always have enough funding to modernize
    the entire organization and so that allows us to help
    supplement that, but also when we look at a lot of the critical
    dual-use capabilities, like I'll just use fire buckets as an
    example to fight forest fires, that allows us to do that, to
    purchase that equipment and maintain it in case our communities
    ever need it.
        Senator Boozman. Very good. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        Senator Tester. Thank you, Senator Boozman.

                         ADDITIONAL COMMITTEE QUESTIONS

        We appreciate all your testimony here today. Senators may
    submit additional written questions and we ask you, if you
    receive those, to respond to those in a reasonable period of
    time.
        [The following questions were not asked at the hearing, but
    were submitted to the Department for response subsequent to the
    hearing:]
               Questions Submitted to General Daniel R. Hokanson
                  Questions Submitted by Senator Patrick Leahy
        Question. For each of the previous three fiscal years, I have
    supported additional funding through the appropriations process for a
    National Guard preventative mental health program executed by the
    Office of Warrior Resiliency and Fitness. Evidence shows that building
    resiliency in individuals before they experience stressful events
    enhances their ability to avoid or recover from post-traumatic stress.
    An essential part of the concept is to use data and analysis to build
    tailored prevention programs for behavioral health by state, region,
    and even individual.
        What is your assessment of the progress made towards establishing a
    preventative program?
        Answer. In November 2018, NGB published CNGBI 0300.01 to establish
    a Warrior Resilience and Fitness (WRF) Program, which created a
    framework to integrate prevention efforts across the States,
    Territories, and DC. In July 2019, NGB formally created the WRF Office
    which is organized under the J1 Directorate. There are currently three
    lines of effort including Innovation and Outreach, Program
    Implementation, and Prevention Integration. In 2019, NGB developed the
    Warrior Resilience and Fitness ``Innovation Incubator'' (WRFII)
    initiative which selects and pilots innovative State-level best
    practices that aim to enhance the readiness, wellness, and resilience
    of geographically dispersed members of the NG. We currently have 27
    pilot programs being reviewed for broader implementation at State or
    National level. In addition, WRF is currently evaluating Secretary of
    Defense Immediate Action #3 (Establishing a Prevention Workforce) to
    analyze status, gaps, requirements, and opportunities of the National
    Guard prevention workforce.
        Question. How often do you meet directly with the head of the
    program or other behavioral health specialists involved in the program
    on progress towards achieving the program's goals especially those
    related to developing analytic tools and tailored behavioral health
    training?
        Answer. I have met with RADM Matthew Kleiman, the Chief of Warrior
    Resiliency and Fitness, on multiple occasions over the past year to
    discuss mental health resources, suicide prevention strategies, and the
    development of analytic tools to support the resiliency of the force.
    Additionally, RADM Kleiman leads our Suicide Prevention Task Force and
    in this role meets with the Vice Chief of the National Guard Bureau, Lt
    Gen Sasseville, approximately twice a month, and more as needed, to
    provide updates on our prevention efforts.
        Question. What is the progress in providing analytic tools to help
    commanders tailor preventative programs for greater effectiveness?
        Answer. NGB has partnered with the Office of the Secretary of
    Defense to leverage the Advana system to create a predictive analytics
    dashboard (SPRINGboard) that uses external social determinants of
    health data and internal DoD metrics to capture geographic risk and
    protective factors across the National Guard. Using machine learning,
    this tool can help analyze probable health outcomes and provide data-
    informed decisionmaking to leaders at all levels.
        In June 2020, we began disseminating this tool to Behavioral Health
    leaders across the States, Territories, and District of Columbia. We
    are continuing to disseminate and expect this tool will be fully
    disseminated by December 2021. Of note, full implementation of the tool
    is dependent on a data-sharing agreement to get full access to
    Department of Defense data for National Guard members. By December
    2021, we expect the data-sharing agreement to be in place.
        Question. In what fiscal year do you anticipate programming for
    this critical function?
        Answer. We requested programmed funding for WRF beginning in fiscal
    year 2023. I have included this program as a funding priority in the
    fiscal year 2023 funding priorities memorandum to the Secretary of
    Defense, Secretary of the Army, and Secretary of the Air Force.
        Question. Since 2019, members of the National Guard have been
    called upon to perform more missions that at any time since the Second
    World War, many of them domestically, such as supporting local
    officials in coronavirus response and supporting local response to
    civil disturbances.
        What is the amount and status of reimbursement for funds spent
    related to activities of members of the National Guard on orders
    pursuant to 32 USC 502(f)?
        Answer. To date, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) issued
    reimbursable funding authority to the National Guard totals $4.5B.
    Current obligations total over $2.9B with $1.6B billed. Ongoing
    reconciliation of funds received with obligations will result in bills
    or return of funding to FEMA.
        In support of Capitol Response, the National Guard has obligated
    $520.9M ($450 million Army National Guard and $71 million Air National
    Guard) from current year National Guard appropriations. To date, the
    National Guard has not received reimbursement for these expenditures
    and if the National Guard Bureau does not receive confirmation funds
    will be reimbursed by July 15, 2021, the National Guard Bureau must
    take fiscally prudent steps to prevent an Anti-Deficiency Act
    violation. These steps will include notifying the Adjutants General to
    cancel August and September Inactive Duty for Training (IDT) and all
    remaining Annual Trainings effective August 1, 2021.
        Question. What is your assessment of improvements that could be
    made under policy or law to more smoothly place members of the National
    Guard on orders pursuant to 32 USC 502(f)?
        Answer. Duty Status Reform would prove extremely helpful to
    smoothly place members of the National Guard on orders pursuant to 32
    USC 502(f) and other reserve component mobilization authorities. The
    Administration is working with the Department of Defense to streamline
    mobilization authorities and potentially change benefits associated
    with mobilization authorities. The intent of Duty Status Reform is to
    enhance readiness with less disruptions to Service member pay and
    benefits. The earliest time that the Administration will provide
    Congress with a Reserve Duty Status proposal for consideration will be
    before the development of the fiscal year 2023 National Defense
    Authorization Act.
        Question. In early 2020, I asked General Joseph Lengyel, then Chief
    of the National Guard Bureau, about items that would have been
    purchased to respond to a pandemic, if the National Guard Reserve and
    Equipment funds had not been transferred to pay for a border wall in
    the southwest.
        What equipment and resources gaps currently exist that may curtail
    the Guard's ability to respond to pandemics or other public health
    crises?
        Answer. The National Guard has not identified any resource gaps
    that may curtail the ability to respond to a public health crises.
    However, the National Guard did identify certain equipment gaps during
    the 2020 pandemic response. Equipment gaps included shortages of
    thermometers, hand sanitizer, and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE
    such as masks, gloves, and eye protection).
        Since there is not a National Guard stockpile of PPE for a pandemic
    or disaster response, all on-hand stocks are limited in quantity and
    designed to support complex domestic chemical or radiological
    responses. The expectation is that all PPE requirements will be
    provided by the supported state, Federal agency or facility.
        Question. What lessons have been learned about equipment needs for
    responding to pandemics or other public health crises?
        Answer. There were several lessons learned about pandemic or other
    public health crises equipment needs, including M50 gas mask
    limitations, PPE for non-healthcare workers, and disinfection of
    respirators. The U.S. Army Medical Command, Office of The Surgeon
    General and NGB published guidance recommending M50s only as a last
    resort option for COVID-19 response, which also requires coordination
    through chain of command/designated POCs. Unit commanders and medical
    personnel need to be cognizant of the limitations of M50s when making
    PPE or disease spread control recommendations. For example, the M50
    mask does not filter exhaled air.
        Units should reference the DoD Force Health Protection Supp 7, CDC,
    and OSHA guidance. The Air Force Surgeon General has engaged in
    conversations specifically regarding PPE for Law Enforcement (LE)
    activities with known or suspected COVID-19 positive individuals. A
    small percentage of Security Forces Squadron (SFS) and some Office of
    Special Investigations operations include law enforcement activities.
    Close contact is primarily anticipated during arrests, booking, finger
    printing and DNA swabbing. It is recommended that law enforcement
    activities in SFS be granted access to elective use N95s. As it is
    difficult for the SFS community to determine when a particular defender
    may engage in LE activities, the enhanced PPE including N95s may be
    staged with first aid kits and leveraged when necessary.
        The disinfection procedures for elastomeric full/half face
    respirators and powered air-purifying respirators following potential
    COVID-19 exposure and after common mask fit testing, should be
    conducted according to manufacturer recommendations using an EPA
    approved disinfectant. Masks should be immersed and cleaned with soap
    and disinfectant. Respirator wipes are not recommended.
                                     ______

                Questions Submitted by Senator Susan M. Collins
        Question. You said in your written testimony that the National
    Guard's State Partnership Program (SPP) ``is a key pillar to the
    Department of Defense's focus on alliances and partnerships.'' That is
    absolutely correct. The Maine National Guard's longstanding partnership
    with Montenegro is an excellent example of SPP building capable,
    trusted, and interoperable military partners. The Maine Guard's work
    with Montenegro was crucial to the country's accession into NATO in
    2017.
        What are your top priorities for the State Partnership Program in
    fiscal year 22?
        Answer. Thank you for your question regarding the State Partnership
    Program (SPP) and my priorities for the future of this critical
    program. Since the SPP started in 1993, all events and engagements have
    been designed to enhance the national security of the United States by
    building relationships with our Partner Nations.
        I have four priorities for SPP. First, normalizing funding will
    enable NGB to more deliberately plan SPP training events and
    engagements, which would help strengthen existing alliances and
    partnerships through greater stabilization and predictability of
    funding. Second, NGB is working closely with OSD and the GCCs to build
    a strategic and deliberate process to best pair state National Guards
    with future partner nations. Third, it is important that NGB be able to
    provide a Bilateral Affairs Officer for each partnership due to their
    critical role in building and maintaining strong relationships with the
    partner nation and Embassy teams. Lastly, I'm prioritizing efforts to
    `professionalize' our SPP force through our outstanding relationship
    with the Defense Security Cooperation Agency. This emphasis ensures the
    SPP workforce is trained and certified for their positions.
        Question. The Maine Guard is currently seeking to partner with a
    new nation--the African Island nation Cabo Verde. I think this would be
    a great partnership, and many state and local institutions in Maine,
    including the University of Maine, have signed on to support the effort
    and provide their own unique knowledge. I wanted to highlight my
    support.
        When do you expect a decision to be made?
        Answer. The State Partnership Program pairing process is highly
    deliberative. After a comprehensive analysis and review with all
    stakeholders and the States, Territories, and the District of Columbia,
    NGB will send its recommendation to OSD by the end of August 2021.
                                     ______

                    Questions Submitted by Senator Roy Blunt
     the 2-152 infantry battalion transfer from the indiana national guard
                         to the missouri national guard
        Question. General Hokanson, I, along with others of the Missouri
    Congressional Delegation, wrote to you last month to express our
    support for your decision to re-station the 2nd Battalion, 152nd
    Infantry Regiment with its 700 excellent National Guard men and women
    to the Missouri National Guard.
        Once the execution timeline has been determined, we look forward to
    supporting the National Guard Bureau and the Missouri TAG, Major
    General Cumpton, to ensure this transfer is seamless and successful.
        As you know the Missouri Army National Guard is well positioned to
    assume and incorporate this great and storied unit.
        Also, I want to say thanks and look forward to continue working
    with you to complete the AVCRAD Phase 3B and 4 projects in Springfield,
    Missouri.
        Please let us know if there is anything you need to support these
    two efforts. Answer Question 1:
        Answer. Thank you for your support, we look forward to the
    opportunity to build an additional infantry battalion in Missouri and
    to continue efforts to improve Army aviation maintenance support
    provided in Springfield. General Cumpton has a great plan to
    incorporate these additional combat and aviation support capabilities
    into the Missouri Army National Guard.
                               the role of c-130s
        Question. General Hokanson, I would like to note my continued
    concerns about the Air Force's proposed reductions of C-130 Total
    Aircraft Inventory.
        My understanding is that Air Force seeks to cut five flying
    squadrons as part of an effort to reduce the number of C-130s to
    approximately 255 planes over the next 5 years, with the majority of
    reduction coming from the Air National Guard.
        I know a number of Senators, including many members of this
    committee, have articulated the detrimental impact of reducing our
    national airlift capacity.
        Furthermore, the targeted reduction of Air National Guard C-130s
    would make it difficult--if not impossible--for the Guard to support
    routine training missions, as well as domestic operations to respond to
    emergencies and disasters.
        If any proposed reductions come from within the Guard C-130 force
    structure, there will be a significant loss of domestic operations
    capabilities. As we have seen over the last several years, those
    domestic requirements are not letting up.
        Please provide your perspective on the breadth and depth regarding
    the role our C-130s play in supporting the requirements of domestic
    operations.
        Answer. Air National Guard (ANG) C-130s play an important part in
    supporting domestic operations. Since 2017, ANG C-130s have conducted
    50 percent of all ANG airlift supporting domestic operations while
    simultaneously executing Federal operational requirements. These
    domestic operations include hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria as well
    as responding to civil unrest operations in 2020 and Operation Capital
    Response (2021). Specifically regarding Operation Capitol Response, ANG
    C-130s flew 352 sorties, which transported 5,197 personnel and 481 tons
    of cargo. The ANG C-130s also constitutes 75 percent of all national
    wildland aerial firefighting capability with the Modular Airborne Fire
    Fighting System supporting the National Interagency Fire Center.
        The Mobility Capability Requirements Study (MCRS) for NDAA 2020 is
    currently being conducted by United States Transportation Command. The
    MCRS will evaluate current operational plans to determine a level of
    intra-theater airlift required to balance force structure with
    operational risk. The ANG is awaiting the MCRS out-brief to determine
    the total force intra-theater airlift requirement for the Federal
    operational taskings. If a force structure reduction is recommended,
    the ANG wishes to discuss which component(s) will shoulder the
    reduction, given the dual role operations levied upon ANG C-130s for
    both Federal and domestic support.
        the future c-130 force structure and the 139th airlift wing at
                       rosecrans air national guard base
        Question. General Hokanson, while the Air Force and Air National
    Guard have indicated that there will be no reduction of C-130H aircraft
    at the 139th Airlift Wing at Rosecrans Air National Guard Base, I
    expressed in a letter last month to General Charles Brown, and
    Lieutenant General Michael Loh--and I want to express to you--my
    concerns should any optional course of action be considered.
        As you know, the 139th Airlift Wing supports both the C-130 Weapons
    Instructor Course and the Advanced Airlift Tactics Training Center. The
    Air National Guard acknowledged that two C-130s at Rosecrans supporting
    the Weapons Instructor Course mission were improperly coded as Backup
    Aircraft Inventory. If the 139th were to lose one of these aircraft, it
    would lose its ability to conduct these unique and necessary training
    missions that support the broader Air Force enterprise.
        I would appreciate your commitment to ensuring the Air National
    Guard correctly recodes these aircraft, and confirming your commitment
    to preserving the vital mission of the 139th Air Wing mission.
        Answer. The men and women of the 139th Airlift Wing (AW) make
    significant contributions to the tactical airlift mission and our
    Nation's defense. We understand your interest in preserving the C-130H
    aircraft currently based in Missouri.
        We recognize the challenges the 139 AW faces as host to the C-130H
    Weapons Instructor Course (WIC) and Advanced Airlift Tactics Training
    Center (AATTC). The 139 AW has the appropriate resources to execute
    these missions while continuing to perform its operational mission and
    meet the training needs of assigned aircrew. The Program Change Request
    (PCR) mentioned is being coordinated through standard Air Force
    procedures and will be considered once all applicable stakeholders have
    had a chance to provide input.
        We value all ANG C-130 units and, as such, use objective,
    analytical data when making force structure decisions. We intend to
    retain ANG C-130H/J tactical airlift aircraft that contribute to
    missions, including Defense Support to Civil Authorities and other
    domestic operations. The ANG has a plan to meet the fiscal year 2021
    force reduction by divesting aircraft from the C-130H Formal Training
    Unit (FTU). The 139 AW is not impacted by these fiscal year 2021 force
    structure reductions.
        The Department faces a number of tough choices each budget cycle.
    Our data-driven analysis seeks to balance risk across the Total Force
    and our core missions, grounded in guidance defined by the National
    Defense Strategy. Divestment of legacy C-130H aircraft will allow
    investment in new tactical airlift capabilities to meet demands posed
    by the future spectrum of conflict and will enable the Joint Force to
    project combat power into highly-contested environments.
                                     ______

          Questions Submitted to Lieutenant General Richard W. Scobee
                    Questions Submitted by Senator Roy Blunt
    the enduring mission of the a-10 and the 442nd fighter wing at whiteman
                                 air force base
        Question. Lieutenant General Scobee, Senator Kelly and I recently
    introduced a resolution in support and recognition of the A-10. I'm
    pleased that we have made great progress with the support of this
    committee to ensure our aircraft at the 442nd Fighter Wing and across
    the A-10 enterprise are modernized.
        The 442nd is an incredible source of fighter pilot experience in
    close air support and search and rescue, in addition to enjoying access
    to air space and training ranges, first-class facilities, and lack of
    encroachment at Whiteman Air Force Base.
        As we look into the out-years, I look forward to working with you
    to position the 442nd for an enduring mission beyond the operational
    life expectancy of the A-10.
        Please let us know if there is anything you need to support this
    effort.
        Answer. The A-10 remains a valuable asset for close air support and
    I thank you for your continued advocacy to ensure these aircraft remain
    combat effective.
        While acquiring new platforms will enhance our capabilities, the
    Air Force Reserve will continue to rely on many of the proven platforms
    currently in our inventory such as the A-10. This necessitates aircraft
    modernization and system upgrades, which will provide the capabilities
    needed for the future fight and ensure survivability if operating in a
    contested environment.
        Necessary A-10 enhancements include the installation of upgraded
    mission computers, Helmet-Mounted Targeting, Anti-Jam Global
    Positioning System equipment, and missile warning systems, which will
    provide enhanced threat awareness and weapons delivery capabilities in
    contested environments.
        In 2022, the Department of the Air Force is looking to begin a
    slight reduction in the A-10 fleet and then reapply the resources,
    including manpower, to capabilities needed to counter future peer
    threats. However, this decrease will not impact the Air Force Reserve's
    A-10s and the Department of the Air Force is committed to extending the
    A-10's service life on our retained aircraft.
        When it comes to modernization and equipment parity, the funding
    provided by Congress via the National Guard and Reserve Equipment
    Appropriation is vital. NGREA enables us to modernize equipment,
    sustain our capability, and replace obsolete equipment to maintain
    parity with the Active Component when recapitalization is not feasible.
    Parity is critical to seamless Total Force Integration. We remain
    grateful for these appropriations, and cannot overemphasize how
    essential they are to our readiness. I appreciate your support for
    NGREA now and in the future.
        I wholeheartedly agree with your assessment of the 442nd, they are
    a premier source of combat-ready Airmen and I am extremely proud of the
    work they do every day in defense of our Nation. The Air Force Reserve
    looks forward to maintaining our presence at Whiteman Air Force Base
    for years to come.

                               SUBCOMMITTE RECESS

        Senator Tester. The next Defense Subcommittee will
    reconvene on Wednesday, May 26, at 10 a.m., for a Closed
    Hearing on Intelligence Committee. On the housekeeping front,
    the hearing after the next one because it will be a closed
    hearing. So this won't apply.
        But we will ask questions on this committee based on
    seniority and who is physically present. After those questions
    have been asked, then we'll go off of seniority virtually.
        So that's a little change in process, but we've got some
    direction from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and
    Prevention) now that I think will help encourage folks to be
    here in person.
        So with that, thank you all very much, and this committee
    is adjourned.
        [Whereupon, at 11:43 a.m., Tuesday, May 18, the
    subcommittee was recessed, to reconvene subject to the call of
    the Chair.]

           DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022

                                  ----------

                             TUESDAY, JUNE 8, 2021

                                           U.S. Senate,
               Subcommittee of the Committee on Appropriations,
                                                        Washington, DC.
        The subcommittee met at 2:06 p.m., in room SD-192, Dirksen
    Senate Office Building, Hon. Jon Tester, (chairman) presiding.
        Present: Senators Tester, Durbin, Leahy, Feinstein, Murray,
    Schatz, Baldwin, Shelby, Murkowski, Moran, Hoeven, and Boozman.

                             DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

                          Department of the Air Force

                            Office of the Secretary

    STATEMENT OF HON. JOHN P. ROTH, ACTING SECRETARY

                    OPENING STATEMENT OF SENATOR JON TESTER

        Senator Tester. I want to call the meeting to order.
    Ranking Member Shelby is on his way, so we will get started.
        I just want to start by welcoming our witnesses, folks that
    have been in service to this country for a long, long time.
    Acting Secretary John Roth has over 40 years of service to this
    Nation as a Department of Defense civilian. With a background
    in budgeting and financial management, his background makes him
    an ideal witness for this hearing today.
        General Charles Brown is the Chief of Staff of the Air
    Force. His record as a pilot and commander is exceptional, and
    I might add, he also makes an outstanding travel companion.
    General, I want to thank you for visiting Malmstrom Air Force
    Base and the Montana Air National Guard a few weeks ago.
        And I just have a question I want you to address in your
    opening statement, and that is what does the ``Q'' in ``C.Q.
    Brown'' stand for?
        [Laughter.]
        Senator Tester. Other than that, it is good.
        And finally, General John W. Raymond, Chief of Space
    Operations, welcome. General Raymond has over 30 years career
    in the space positions and is our Nation's first leader of
    Space Force. This is the subcommittee's first hearing with
    General Raymond, and I look forward to hearing your assessment
    of Space Force and where it stands today.
        The Air Force and Space Force are meeting the challenges of
    near peer competition with other nations with an aggressive
    modernization program. With new, continued investments in
    updated platforms like the F-15EX, new platforms like the B-21
    bomber, and leaping ahead with new space capabilities, our
    witnesses are clearly focused on preparing to deter and, if
    necessary, fight the wars of tomorrow. But we are also in a
    time of constrained budgets. To bridge the gap between the
    resources available and developing new weapons, the Air Force
    is proposing to retire legacy systems.
        When military leaders tell me that they believe spending
    money on something is no longer a good idea, I take that very
    seriously. But I also know that new weapons rarely deliver on
    time and on budget. This subcommittee needs to ask the question
    of whether the Air Force is rolling the dice with a strategy of
    retiring airplanes in favor of systems still on the drawing
    board or if some of those bets may be better than others.
        I just want to close by saying I want to thank the
    witnesses ahead for the testimony they are about to give, and I
    look forward to hearing from each one of them. And I think we
    will start with the witness testimony.
        Hang on here. Okay, Mr. Roth, you may start.

                     SUMMARY STATEMENT OF HON. JOHN P. ROTH

        Secretary Roth. Thank you very much, Chairman. Thank you,
    Chairman Tester. Thank you, Chairman Leahy.
        Members of the committee, it is a pleasure to be here
    today. I am also honored to have General Brown and General
    Raymond join me in representing the nearly 700,000 airmen and
    guardians that defend our Nation. We are thankful for your
    consistent and persistent support over the years, which has
    enabled us to build the world's greatest air and space forces.
        As an integrated force, our airmen and guardians stand
    ready, willing, and able to meet responsibilities to our Nation
    and continue defending the high ground. From 300 feet to 300
    miles off the ground, we protect the homeland, we project
    power, and we defend democracy.
        The long-term strategic competition with China and Russia
    demands we focus on capabilities we need today to win tomorrow.
    Our Nation's competitive strategic advantage relies on air and
    space superiority, which is underpinned by rapid technological
    advancement and the extension of space as a warfighting domain.
        In line with Secretary Austin's priorities to defend the
    Nation, take care of our people, and succeed through teamwork,
    our fiscal year 2022 budget is the beginning of a journey to
    the Air and Space Forces of 2030. It builds the capabilities
    that allow the Department to modernize while continuing to meet
    the national security objectives and defend the high ground.
        Specifically, we are committed to investing in, one,
    empowering airmen and guardians; two, capability-focused
    modernization; three, connecting us to the Joint Force; and
    four, expanding partnerships.
        First, our airmen and guardians remain the heart of our
    ability to deter and, if necessary, defeat our competitors. We
    are transforming our talent management systems to ensure we
    develop and train leaders with the competence, character, and
    skills required to win high-end fights. And we remain devoted
    to recruiting and retaining a diverse core of multi-capable,
    innovative talent to outmaneuver our adversaries today and in
    the future.
        We owe it to our force to provide them with an environment
    where all can thrive. That is why we are directing critical
    resources to rid our ranks of any corrosive elements and
    injustices that degrade our ability to provide a lethal, ready
    force.
        Second, to remain the world's greatest air and space force,
    we must look to the future through a lens of capability-based
    modernization. Evidenced by nuclear modernization and next-
    generation air dominance platforms, our digital acquisition
    approach revolutionizes how we design and field capabilities to
    the warfighters.
        Moving forward, we will expand on these digital revolutions
    while also investing in next-generation space systems that are
    resilient and defensive. Space is no longer a benign domain.
    Our U.S. Space Force was purpose-built to deter and protect
    free access to space.
        Third, combatant commanders require an agile military that
    operates seamlessly across all domains at both speed and scale.
    That is why we continue to invest in capabilities like the
    Advanced Battle Management System, our contribution to Joint
    All-Domain Command and Control, which will connect every sensor
    to every shooter across all domains.
        Likewise, access to and freedom of action in space is
    central to connecting us to the Joint Force. In its second
    year, the U.S. Space Force is laser-focused on integration.
    Investments in space capabilities increase the effectiveness of
    operations across all domains. The result is a U.S. military
    that is better connected, better informed, faster, and more
    precise.
        Finally, the U.S. Air and Space Forces do not fight alone.
    We benefit from the expertise and capabilities of our sister
    services and coalition forces, as well as the whole of
    government, commercial industry, and academia. We will continue
    to invest in enduring relationships while expanding new
    partnerships to transfer how we fight future wars.
        Members of the committee, thank you for inviting us to
    testify. I look forward to your support and am confident that
    with your help, the Air and Space Forces will be armed with the
    capabilities necessary to protect our Nation and defend the
    high ground. We welcome your questions, and I ask that this
    opening statement be entered into the record.
        Thank you.
        Senator Tester. And it will be, and thank you, Secretary
    Roth.
        Senator Shelby, do you have anything you would like to say
    before we move to General Brown?
        Senator Shelby. I just have an opening statement I would
    like to place in the record.
        Senator Tester. Without objection, so done.
        [The statement follows:]
                Prepared Statement of Senator Richard C. Shelby
        Thank you Mr. Chairman.
        Secretary Roth, General Brown, and General Raymond, welcome.
        Thank you for being here today to present your budget for fiscal
    year 2022, and to provide this committee with an update on the
    challenges that you face.
        Our nation expects that our military is ready and capable to deter
    our adversaries and defend the homeland.
        Not only do our adversaries pose new and increasing threats that
    erode our traditional technological advantages, but the age of some of
    our most important weapon systems require that we make investments
    today.
        We must continue to maintain a credible nuclear deterrent, while at
    the same time developing hypersonic weapons and ensuring that our
    aircraft can meet the challenges posed by China and Russia.
        I am also interested to hear more from you about how this budget
    request recognizes the contributions of the Space Force, and the
    growing importance of operations in space.
        The National Security Space Launch program has been a good
    investment of taxpayer dollars, and I encourage the Department of
    Defense and Intelligence Community to continue to use the Space Force
    launch enterprise for National Security Space Launch-class missions.
        Given that the overall funding request for the Department of
    Defense does not keep pace with inflation, I am concerned that we are
    sending the wrong message to both our allies and our adversaries.
        I look forward to hearing how your fiscal year 2022 budget request
    balances all of these important priorities, thank you.

        Senator Tester. Thank you, Senator Shelby.
        General Brown.
    STATEMENT OF GENERAL CHARLES Q. BROWN, JR., CHIEF OF
                STAFF, UNITED STATES AIR FORCE
        General Brown. Good afternoon, Chairman Tester, Chairman
    Leahy, Ranking Member Shelby, and distinguished members of this
    committee.
        I am humbled to serve as our Nation's 22nd Air Force Chief
    of Staff and represent the 689,000 total force airmen serving
    today. Your support to our airmen and their families is greatly
    appreciated.
        It is an honor to appear before you today with Acting
    Secretary Roth and my fellow service chief and friend of many
    years, General Raymond. As a general officer, I have spent the
    last decade plus in joint positions overseas and/or supporting
    operations in the Middle East, Europe, Africa, and most
    recently the Indo-Pacific. With this context, I have been able
    to look at the Air Force from varying perspectives, and I have
    personally seen a reemergence of great power competition and
    how the character of war has changed.
        The strategic environment has rapidly evolved, and we
    haven't changed fast enough to keep pace. The People's Republic
    of China has recognized modern warfare as a contest among
    systems, not individual units or platforms. Accordingly,
    Secretary Austin has prioritized China as our pacing threat.
        Meanwhile, Russia continues to modernize its armed forces,
    increasing the capability of its missiles, strike aircraft,
    warships, artillery systems, and nuclear weapons. And
    competition and future warfare will be conducted across all
    domains simultaneously. It will be transregional and a global
    undertaking with complex actions and actors intertwined.
        To account for these changes, our Nation, our Air Force
    must change faster than we have been. If we continue on the
    path of incremental change, our advantage erodes, and losing
    becomes a distinct possibility.
        The Air Force recently updated our mission statement ``to
    fly, fight, and win--airpower anytime, anywhere.'' To keep this
    mission now and into future, we must transition our Air Force
    and our operational concepts from today to tomorrow, and we
    must do so faster.
        That is why I wrote ``Accelerate Change or Lose'' to call
    attention to the changes in the strategic environment because
    the mix of capabilities that our Air Force has now that were
    good enough for yesterday, that are good enough for today, will
    fail tomorrow. Our future Air Force must be agile, resilient,
    and connected, with the ability to generate near instantaneous
    effects anytime, anywhere. Not just sometime and some places,
    but anytime, anywhere.
        Our Air Force is the only service that provides our joint
    teammates and our allies and partners the assurance of air
    superiority, the advantage of global strike, and the agility of
    rapid global mobility through a range of capabilities most
    requested by today's combatant commanders. Additionally, the
    Air Force's ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, and
    Reconnaissance) and command and control capabilities provide
    the ability to sense, make sense, and act.
        But while our past and current capabilities have sufficed
    for the last three decades, they will not effectively perform
    in tomorrow's highly contested environment. To address the
    challenges that will endanger our national security tomorrow,
    the transition to the future Air Force design must start today.
        Finally, we have a financial responsibility to our airmen
    and their families. I remain focused on ensuring we are ready
    and that we have the tools, infrastructure, and talent
    management systems to provide the environment where all can
    reach their full potential. The future Air Force design
    advances our core missions and new approaches to warfighting
    that holistically support every combatant commander and benefit
    every service chief. Investing in your Air Force is an
    investment in the Joint Force.
        Ladies and gentlemen, the bottom line is simple. We must
    modernize for the future and focus on capabilities that
    maintain our advantage both today and tomorrow.
        For decades, we have collaborated with Congress and our
    industry partners to modernize for the future. Now to fulfill
    our responsibility to ensure our national security, we must be
    willing to change, to make the tough choices required to
    deliberately transform our Air Force to the future force we
    need to compete, deter, and win. We have done it before, and I
    am confident together we can do it again.
        Thank you for the opportunity to be with you today, and
    before I close, I would like to answer Chairman Tester's
    question. The ``Q'' stands for ``Quinton.''
        I look forward to taking your additional questions
    throughout the rest of the hearing.
        Senator Tester. That is a good answer because I just won
    five bucks off my staff.
        [Laughter.]
        Senator Tester. General--thank you, General Brown.
        General Raymond.
    STATEMENT OF GENERAL JOHN W. RAYMOND, CHIEF OF SPACE
                OPERATIONS, UNITED STATES SPACE FORCE
        General Raymond. Chairman Tester, Chairman Leahy, Ranking
    Member Shelby, and distinguished members of this committee, it
    is an honor to appear before you for the first time and to do
    so alongside Secretary Roth, the Acting Secretary of the Air
    Force, and General C.Q. Brown, Chief of Staff of the Air Force,
    a longtime friend and a longtime teammate.
        On behalf of the guardians that are stationed worldwide,
    let me begin by thanking you for the continued leadership and
    strong support that you have provided to the Space Force.
        The United States is a space-faring Nation. We have long
    understood that our Nation is strongest economically,
    diplomatically, and militarily when we have access to and
    freedom to maneuver in space. For the past three decades, we
    have been able to take that access and that freedom to maneuver
    for granted.
        Unfortunately, as the National Defense Strategy and the
    newer Interim National Security Strategy identified, this is no
    longer the case. Both China, our pacing threat, and Russia
    continue to develop two things. First, they are developing
    space capabilities for their own use. So they have that same
    advantage that we have. And secondly, they are building weapons
    systems specifically designed to deny our space-enabled
    advantages that America currently enjoys.
        These threats that they are developing include robust
    jamming of our GPS satellite constellation and communication
    satellites; directed energy systems that can blind, disrupt, or
    damage our satellites; anti-satellite weapons in space that are
    purpose-built to destroy U.S. satellites; and cyber
    capabilities that can deny our access to the domain.
    Thankfully, with the strong support of Congress, the United
    States seized on the opportunity to make needed changes to stay
    ahead of the growing threat by establishing the United States
    Space Force.
        This leadership is resonating globally and is already
    delivering results for our Nation. We have slashed bureaucracy
    at every level in order to empower our guardians to move at
    speed and to increase accountability necessary to successfully
    operate in this domain.
        We have put together a very forward-leaning human capital
    strategy, allowing us to build a more highly trained, educated,
    and developed warfighting force while taking care of guardians
    and their families throughout their entire career. We wrote our
    first doctrine to clearly articulate the independent value of
    space power to joint and coalition forces, and this importance
    is fully captured in the Department's new joint warfighting
    construct that is being developed.
        Our international partnerships are stronger, with many of
    our partner nations following our lead and elevating space
    inside of their militaries. We have created a new end-to-end
    capability development process from force design and
    requirements to acquisition and testing, enabled by a digital
    thread to move at speed while driving unity of effort across
    the Department of Defense. We have rejected stovepipes by
    actively working with the Joint Force and other Government
    agencies and industry to compete, deter, and win at an
    affordable cost.
        The Space Force cannot and will not tolerate business as
    usual. Our demanding mission and lean force demand nothing less
    than a new standard of efficiency. The budget reflects the
    shift of many Department of Defense space activities into the
    Space Force, yet we remain about 2.5 percent of the overall
    Department of Defense budget.
        We are committed to stretching every dollar to its limit to
    buy as much capability as possible for our Nation. This fiscal
    year, the 2022 budget balances the need to protect capabilities
    we have on orbit now while shifting and modernizing to a more
    defendable architecture in the future. It is an investment that
    provides assured space capabilities to our sister services, our
    Nation, and to our coalition warfighting partners.
        These demanding tasks could not have been possible without
    sustained support from Congress, including this committee, and
    for that, I thank you. We cannot afford to lose space.
        I am absolutely honored and humbled to serve as the first
    Chief of Space Operations and to have the opportunity to serve
    side by side with the incredible guardians that I am privileged
    to lead. It is because of them that our Nation enjoys the
    benefits of space today, and it is because of them, America's
    sons and daughters, that we will compete, deter, and win in the
    future.
        I really look forward to your questions. Thanks for the
    opportunity.
        [The statement follows:]
    Prepared Statement of Hon. John P. Roth, General Charles Q. Brown, Jr.
                          and General John W. Raymond

                        THE DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE

        The Air and Space Forces unite under the Department of the Air
    Force and are inextricably linked in defense of the crucial high
    ground, integral to the stability of the global security landscape.
    Under civilian leadership, the Department's nearly 700,000 Airmen and
    Guardians provide independent and integrated options to national
    leaders while defending democracy, an ideal that President Biden said,
    ``holds the key to freedom, prosperity, peace, and dignity.'' The
    Department of the Air Force enhances the peaceful instruments of
    diplomacy, sustains instruments of deterrence that check the spread of
    conflict, and ensures credible consequences for aggression.
        Today more than ever, we and our national security partners must be
    bold. The challenges are many: the People's Republic of China, the
    Russian Federation, contested domains old and new, the vulnerabilities
    of proliferated technology and weapons, climate change, a global
    pandemic and its aftermath, the accumulated results of past budget
    priorities and decisions, and corrosive, difficult human issues like
    extremism, sexual assault/harassment, suicide, and disparate treatment
    of others. We must think and act differently. We no longer have the
    luxury of time to evolve into what we need to be...we must harness this
    unique moment together taking action to change. We simply cannot
    maintain status quo.
        Given China's exponential pace of weapons development and extensive
    marshalling of government and industry, we do not have the leeway to
    simply maintain our current approach. China is on track to exceed our
    capacity, so it is our obligation to act with a sense of urgency. China
    poses challenges unlike any other in our Nation's history. We must be
    clear-eyed about these threats and our response to them.We recognize
    the need for change AND must create the capacity for that change. We
    must substantially improve our understanding of China and the Indo-
    Pacific region and prioritize the threats accordingly. We cannot afford
    to keep prioritizing near-term operational posture and today's force
    structure at the expense of modernization and investment.
        This Department is particularly suited for these challenges. We own
    the high ground with air and space today, but it becomes more contested
    every day. We cannot allow the erosion of our advantages in this
    crucial high ground in competition now or in a future conflict. The
    speed, reach, and responsiveness of the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space
    Force reinforce all instruments of national power and norms of
    responsible behavior. We can see, sense, and strike targets near and
    far, and provide global warning, networks, and independent options in
    space. We provide global strike and effects that can hold any target at
    risk within 24 hours--this is not conceptual or theoretical, it is
    reality. Global strike requires a unique fusion of intelligence,
    surveillance, reconnaissance, logistics, access, and speed that only
    the Air and Space Forces provide at a moment's notice. Our ability to
    rapidly eliminate threats anywhere in the world is a consequence of our
    inherent global persistence and reach, not necessarily dependent upon
    pre-positioning or forward basing. We have been exceptional at this,
    and until now we have also been unmatched.
        The Department of the Air Force requires a modernized force that is
    relevant today and long into the future. We are hard at work designing
    our future force. We must invest in the cutting-edge technologies and
    capabilities that are critical to securing our military advantage in
    the future--this includes updating our two legs of the Nation's nuclear
    triad, and our nuclear command, control, and communications systems.
    Enabling our military advantage in the long term means we need to shift
    away from legacy platforms and weapons systems that are decreasing in
    relevance today and will be irrelevant in the future--our aircraft
    fleet is 30 years old on average, and 44% are beyond their designed
    service life. Maintaining our aging weapon systems is costly now and,
    without change, will mortgage our future. We must also create decision
    superiority by delivering information and capabilities to decision
    makers at all echelons through a ``military internet of things.'' A
    critical step includes accelerating command and control infrastructure
    by investing in the Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS)--a vital
    contribution by the Department of the Air Force to Joint All--Domain
    Command and Control. We must methodically and immediately move out on
    tough decisions in order to compete.
        Similarly, we must revise the Space Force's force design to be
    resilient against a significantly increasing threat. We must continue
    to innovate, adapt and diversify capabilities to meet the threats that
    challenge America's access and maneuverability in space and that of our
    allies and partners. As we advance space defense, we must
    simultaneously work with stakeholders across the Department of Defense,
    the whole-of-government, our allies and partners, and commercial
    industry to integrate and streamline space power efforts. Only then
    will America be able to fully leverage what we have built over the last
    year.
        The Air Force and Space Force have been on the leading edge of
    technology since their inception. By embracing novel authorities such
    as middle-tier of acquisition authorities, and innovative approaches
    such as agile software development, modular open systems approach, and
    digital engineering, we will stay on the cutting edge. We intend to
    capitalize on future investments in modeling and synthetic simulation
    environments to ensure both joint warfighters and operational platforms
    are ready.
        As outlined in the Interim National Security Strategic Guidance, we
    are ``committed to realizing and defending the democratic values at the
    heart of the American way of life.'' Outpacing threats in tomorrow's
    complex global security landscape requires innovative thinking and
    modern investments. We recognize the need for change in order to
    protect the American way of life. This budget lays out a plan to
    modernize our military capabilities, and will allow U.S. diplomats to
    negotiate from a position of strength.
                          empowered airmen & guardians
        America's Airmen and Guardians conduct combat operations, channel
    innovation, and conquer adversity around the globe all day, every day.
    We know that Airmen and Guardians are our greatest and most precious
    resource. While weapons systems and tactics inevitably change, our
    Airmen and Guardians remain the core of our ability to deter and, if
    necessary, defeat our competitors. We need multi-capable professionals
    who bring diverse ideas, leverage digital tools, and outmaneuver and
    out think our adversaries. Our Airmen and Guardians have committed to
    service and taken oaths pledging their lives to the protection of our
    Constitution. And while we are working to provide the best environment
    possible as we recruit, train, retain, and leverage our strategic
    advantage--our people.
        As a Department, we are working to increase diversity and
    inclusion, build and fortify resiliency, support our families, and
    develop empowered Airmen and Guardians. We must ensure a culture of
    dignity and respect. We must ensure our people have both high quality
    of service and high quality of life. This starts with ensuring Air
    Force and Space Force leaders represent the Nation and our Core Values.
    Our Nation's defenders must be empowered, resilient, agile, innovative,
    well-led and clear on how much they are valued.
    Diversity
        A diverse and inclusive force is a warfighting imperative. The
    Department of the Air Force must attract, recruit, and retain talented
    Americans from all backgrounds to leverage diverse ideas and
    experiences. By harnessing Airmen's and Guardians' diverse experiences,
    geographic and socioeconomic backgrounds, cultural knowledge, and
    language abilities, we possess an asymmetric advantage over our
    competitors.
        To sustain our lethality and credibility, our force must be truly
    inclusive and reflect the best of the diverse society we serve. This
    includes removing barriers to service--from reviewing our accession and
    assessment tools and career development, to expanding outreach to
    underrepresented minorities through diversity recruiting and increasing
    scholarships at minority-serving institutions. It will also include
    modernizing how we develop Airmen and Guardians, transforming our
    personnel and talent management systems, and championing a culture of
    support and inclusion for all Airmen, Guardians, and their families.
    Sexual Assault Prevention and Response
        Sexual assault is a crime that undermines force lethality,
    readiness, and mission success. The Department of the Air Force is
    committed to eradicating sexual assault using effective, research-based
    prevention. These efforts utilize assessment tools to identify those at
    high risk for unethical behavior, equip all leaders with information
    and goals to reduce assault risk factors, educate the force on
    intervention skills, and promote positive unit culture to eradicate
    sexual assault. When sexual assault does occur, the Department is
    dedicated to supporting victims and prosecuting those who would harm
    others through the chain of command and Uniform Code of Military
    Justice.
    Suicide and Personal Violence Prevention
        The prevention of suicide and interpersonal violence remains a
    difficult challenge. To reduce the incidence of suicide, the Department
    of the Air Force is undertaking a leadership-driven public-health
    approach informed by data and analysis while partnering with academia,
    industry, and our sister Services to include diverse ideas and
    perspectives.
        The Department of the Air Force is also committed to eliminating
    interpersonal violence in any form. Domestic violence, child
    maltreatment, workplace violence, and sexual assault negatively impact
    victims, families, units, mission effectiveness, and the Department as
    a whole. We are dedicated to a strategy that leverages the latest
    science, implements best practices, and incorporates feedback from our
    members. Should these acts of violence occur despite our prevention
    efforts, we are committed to providing victims the necessary care and
    holding perpetrators accountable.
    Quality of Life
        We owe our Airmen and Guardians the best quality of life possible.
    We must continue work to improve all the professional and personal
    aspects of life for each of our Airmen and Guardians, and their
    families.It includes professional development, housing, child care
    programs, healthcare, education, and spousal employment, among many
    others. We are integrating the availability of quality housing, health
    care, occupational licensing reciprocity, and school caliber into our
    strategic basing criteria--ensuring our families have the best support
    possible. The Department is committed to continuing these worthy
    efforts. Our Airmen and Guardians deserve nothing less.
                     a department of the air force for 2030
        As the Department of Air Force prepares to celebrate 75 years of
    service to our great Nation, the Air Force is transforming itself to
    address the challenges of near-peer adversaries while the newest branch
    of the U.S. Armed Forces--the Space Force--is creating and integrating
    a Service purposely built to compete, deter, and win in the space
    domain. Both Services, and the entire Department of the Air Force,are
    dedicated to protecting the Homeland and democracy around the globe. We
    must modernize and integrate to meet the challenges posed by great
    power competition, climate change, cybersecurity, fiscal constraints,
    and worldwide pandemics. With Congress's support, we will maintain our
    dominance of the high ground, and we will ensure the American way of
    life for generations to come.

                            UNITED STATES AIR FORCE

                vision for change--america's air force for 2030
        America fights as a joint team, and the U.S. Air Force is the only
    Service that can meet our Nation's adversaries with mass, speed,
    agility and survivability on near-immediate timelines. The Air Force
    sees, senses, and communicates globally. The Air Force monitors our
    adversaries' movements, deploys forces enmasse, deters competitors, and
    strikes enemies without warning. No one else can do it. Without the Air
    Force, the joint force loses. Only with a modernized and ready Air
    Force is the joint team--and our Nation--secure.
        The American homeland is no longer a sanctuary. Our citizens face
    threats from a variety of actors in both the physical and digital
    arenas. Competitors, especially the China and Russia, continue
    aggressive efforts to negate our long-standing warfighting advantages
    while challenging America's interests and geopolitical position. While
    the Nation was focused on countering violent extremist organizations,
    great power competitors focused on the American way of war. They
    studied, resourced, and introduced systems specifically designed to
    defeat Air Force capabilities that have strengthened the joint force
    for a generation. That is why the Air Force must accelerate change now,
    so we can protect the American way of life in 2030 and for decades to
    come. Simply put, if we do not change, we risk losing. We risk losing
    in great power competition, we risk losing in a high-end fight, and we
    risk losing quality Airmen and families.
        The President clearly stated that diplomacy is our primary means of
    engaging with the world: it must be our first tool of choice. The
    President likewise recognizes that our decisions and actions must come
    from a position of strength. The Air Force offers safe, secure, and
    effective nuclear deterrence, which strengthens national policies. It
    is also important to recognize that air dominance is not an American
    birthright. The Air Force is pivotal to deterring these aggressors and
    bolstering our allies and partners. America remains committed to
    freedom of the commons to support maintaining the rules-based
    international order around the globe. Control of the air and enabling
    domains ensures that the joint force has full freedom of maneuver. The
    diversity of our Airmen is both a tactical and strategic advantage. We
    are committed to recruiting and retaining the best of America. While
    the COVID-19 pandemic provided new challenges to our force, we remain
    devoted to caring for Airmen. Suicide and sexual assault persist as
    challenges that we are tackling head-on. Likewise family support
    programs are vital to our resiliency as a Service. A diverse and
    inclusive Air Force helps us out-innovate adversaries today and
    overcome challenges tomorrow. And, we know that each Airman--active
    duty, Guard, Reserve, and civilian, no matter their background--took an
    oath to defend the Nation for all Americans.
        Airmen in the near future are more likely to fight in highly-
    contested environments. These complex, all-domain conflicts will result
    in combat attrition rates and risks to the Homeland that are more akin
    to World War II than the uncontested environments to which we have
    become accustomed. Given our ability to project power from afar,
    independent of forward access or lengthy prepositioning timelines,
    Airmen will be the first to respond to many emerging crises. In any
    scenario, the Air Force plays a unique and integral role to our
    collective deterrence and joint warfighting credibility. We must
    accelerate change to meet the challenges our Nation faces. This
    requires a relevant, modern force based on cutting-edge capabilities
    that will survive in future conflicts and shifting away from legacy
    platforms that are increasingly irrelevant.
        The Air Force is expected to provide enduring airpower capabilities
    irrespective of the threat encountered, the technology utilized, or the
    budget provided. The core missions of airpower--air superiority; global
    strike; rapid global mobility; command and control; and intelligence,
    surveillance, and reconnaissance--provide unequivocal advantage to the
    joint force. Only the Air Force provides air superiority, global
    strike, and rapid global mobility for the Nation. Without these
    missions, the Homeland is unprotected and America cannot project power
    around the globe. We are innovating and advancing our competencies with
    innovative capabilities such as the Advanced Battle Management System,
    which will increase commanders' decision advantage. Moreover, new
    approaches to our core missions enhance the joint force and answer the
    challenges posed by great power competitors.
        The Air Force's future force design recognizes the need for change
    and the range of threats to the Nation, our allies, and partners. In
    2021, we identified three key capability development areas for
    investment: connect the joint force, generate combat power, and conduct
    logistics under attack. Moving forward we will prioritize the resources
    that will allow us to continue to make investments in these areas, with
    more to come. Additionally, the Air Force will prioritize within its
    resources, affordable, analytically defensible, force structure and
    system capability proposals. Through partnership with Congress, the Air
    Force will prioritize resources to guard the foundations of national
    freedom and independence for America and our allies.
                                air superiority
        Combat power, regardless of Service, often depends on the Air
    Force's ability to deliver air superiority. Our competitors have
    fielded air forces, radar systems, and missiles that can attack our
    territory, bases, forces, and allies and partners, or defend against
    our military actions. Our job is to stop them through control of the
    air. To do this, we build understanding of the air situation and then
    use the right mix of capability and capacity to control the air while
    creating windows of air superiority--no matter the threat. As we stay
    ahead of our competitors, the Air Force needs flexible systems and
    agile design processes to field new capabilities at speed.
        Current platforms will not fully support tomorrow's demands. Airmen
    are deliberately balancing today's readiness risk with capability
    modernization. Remaining ahead of adversaries who are committed to
    negating our technological edge requires investment in advanced
    capabilities. Likewise, access to domestic airspace allows us to train
    in realistic environments, which is essential to developing and
    maintaining these advanced capabilities. Near-peer competitors are
    challenging our capability to command the air. We must take action now
    to ensure the joint force's success tomorrow.
    Future Air Superiority Capability
        The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is the cornerstone of our future
    fighter force and air superiority. Achieving air superiority in a
    future fight is strongly dependent on full-spectrum dominance. The F-35
    and its 5th-generation capabilities are part of our fighter force
    design that outpaces key competitors. The Air Force is fully committed
    to the F-35 and needs it to be capable, available, and affordable. As
    we continue to receive the F-35 into the Air Force and increase our
    capability, it is important to manage our F-35 fleet in an intelligent
    and deliberate way to ensure we remain ready to deter adversaries,
    support our international allies and partners, and meet our Nation's
    security commitments worldwide.
        The Air Force cannot successfully fight tomorrow's conflicts with
    yesterday's weapons. Our adversaries recognize that full-spectrum
    dominance is a national strength. As a direct result, competitors are
    investing to overtake our current warfighting advantage in the air.
    Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) ensures we maintain air
    superiority in the future by introducing game-changing technology that
    includes digital engineering, open mission systems architecture, and
    agile software. NGAD is not a single platform--it is a capability
    focused on fielding capabilities to mitigate identified capability
    gaps, not on creating a ``next-generation'' aircraft. The capabilities
    NGAD provides will ensure survivability, lethality, and persistence
    while seamlessly integrating with the Advanced Battle Management System
    via a mix of manned, unmanned, and even optionally-manned aircraft
    along with advanced stand-off weapons.
        We will complement NGAD and currently fielded 5th-generation
    fighters such as the F-22 and F-35 with the F-15EX. Acquiring this re-
    designed aircraft allows us to shore up our fighter force while driving
    down sustainment costs, our fleet's average age, and inherent risk. By
    leveraging our partners' investments in the F-15 platform, the Air
    Force is efficiently fielding a familiar aircraft with proven tactics.
    It also boasts an open mission software system, which allows us to
    easily update the computer and avionics software.
                                 global strike
        Global strike is critical to our national power and an enduring
    airpower capability. Regardless of the aircraft, weapon, or system
    employed, we must maintain the capability to attack at a time and place
    of our choosing. As China and Russia develop new weapons and defenses,
    we must modernize and develop capabilities to maintain a competitive
    advantage. Both nuclear and conventional strike must be integrated to
    compete against these near-peer adversaries. Air Force strike
    operations are precise, and these effects are delivered through
    standoff capabilities as well as penetrating platforms.
        Nuclear deterrence allows the Nation to negotiate from a position
    of power. A credible, capable, and safe nuclear deterrent provides the
    United States and our allies with an umbrella of protection while
    discouraging the use of nuclear weapons by all nations. Likewise, a
    strong nuclear strike capability deters conflict.
        For precise, conventional attack capabilities to succeed, they must
    be capable of penetrating highly-contested environments. To maintain
    our advantage, the Air Force requires capabilities that incorporate
    domain awareness, full-spectrum survivability, extended range, and
    sufficient payload. It is vital that our capabilities keep pace as
    threats evolve. By leveraging human-machine learning, the right mix of
    manned and unmanned systems, and agile design processes, our global
    strike capabilities will provide responsiveness, precision,
    flexibility, connectedness, and integration across the joint force.
        The United States Air Force has the unique ability to sense, see,
    and strike any target, anywhere, at any time, nearly instantaneously,
    from anywhere in the world. On a daily basis, one aspect of these
    capabilities is on full display as our bomber task forces execute
    training scenarios with our allies and partners. It is no secret that
    potential adversaries closely monitor global activity--these maneuvers
    make adversaries think twice about conducting malign activities while
    reassuring our allies and partners.
        The Air Force's global strike capabilities have the range, speed,
    and flexibility required in a conflict and are far less as dependent on
    pre-positioning or forward-basing. A continued investment in
    modernization efforts to our bomber and tanker fleets will ensure our
    long-range capability for the future. Additionally, a renewed emphasis
    into air base defense, along with Agile Combat Employment and Joint
    All-Domain Command and Control concepts will ensure the United States
    maintains the world's greatest military asymmetric advantage well into
    the future.
    Ground Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD)
        The Nation requires a fully modernized nuclear triad and supporting
    infrastructure to maintain our nuclear deterrence capability.
    Deterrence operates in peacetime, through the gray zone, worldwide,
    across all domains, and into conflict. And, deterrence requires all
    three legs for a responsive nuclear triad. By not maintaining a
    reliable U.S. Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) force, we risk
    deterrence erosion against not one, but two strategic nuclear
    adversaries. This is too high of a risk to our Nation's security.
        Our ICBMs have provided a highly reliable and secure deterrent
    capability since 1959. Delaying their modernization for the last two
    decades necessitates a comprehensive weapon replacement.
        The Ground Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD), the ICBM replacement,
    capitalizes on the strengths of a land-based triad component that is
    survivable, efficient, and geographically dispersed, while replacing
    aging components and addressing asset attrition along with the ICBM
    force's declining infrastructure.
    B-21 Raider
        Our bomber force constitutes the second critical leg of our
    Nation's nuclear triad and the B-21 Raider aircraft will be the
    backbone of our future bomber force. The B-21 will possess the range,
    access, and payload to penetrate the most highly-contested threat
    environments and hold any target around the globe at risk. This new
    bomber will provide the capabilities to deter and, if needed, win in
    high-end, near-peer conflicts. And with bombers as the most flexible
    leg of the nuclear triad, the B-21 underscores our national security.
    This aircraft will support combatant commanders across the range of
    military operations as both a nuclear and conventional bomber.
        Over the past three years, the B-21 program accelerated from design
    to physical manufacturing of aircraft. While building test aircraft,
    the program is scaling manufacturing infrastructure and capacity across
    the industrial supply base. In parallel, B-21 beddown preparations
    continue on-track to support the Nation's newest bomber aircraft
    projected arrival in the mid-2020s.
    Long-Range Standoff Weapon (LRSO)
        The Air Launched Cruise Missile is nearly 30 years beyond its
    intended design life and faces evolving threats and availability
    challenges. Recapitalization of these missiles via the Long-Range
    Standoff Weapon (LRSO) is vital to our nuclear deterrence capability.
        As our competitors improve their air defense systems, our stand-off
    delivery capability diminishes. In order to maximize our capabilities,
    the Nation requires a modernized bomber fleet and the LRSO. This
    weapon's ability to penetrate contested airspace and survive
    adversaries' defenses holds targets at risk and is a cost-effective way
    to modernize the nuclear triad. Additionally, bombers armed with LRSO
    provide a recallable and re-targetable capability which can hold any
    target at risk--it is both a visible and tailorable deterrent.
    Hypersonics
        The Air Force is also investing heavily in hypersonic weapons. This
    cutting-edge technology increases the Nation's rapid strike
    capabilities. By leveraging hypersonic weapons' improved
    maneuverability, America will have additional response options to deter
    adversaries and reassure allies. An operational hypersonic air-launched
    weapon enables the United States to hold fixed, high-value, and time-
    sensitive targets at risk in contested environments from stand-off
    distances. To that end, the Air Force is developing the Air Launched
    Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW) using the middle tier of acquisition rapid
    prototyping authority. ARRW is on track to be the Nation's first
    operational hypersonic weapon. Hypersonics--and global strike as a
    whole-enable diplomacy by strengthening the negotiating position of the
    United States.
                             rapid global mobility
        The Air Force capability that most directly, and physically,
    supports both the Air Force and our joint teammates is rapid global
    mobility. Airmen conduct Rapid Global Mobility operations to project
    and sustain combat power by moving personnel, material, fuel, and
    supplies across the globe, in and through permissive and contested
    threat environments on short timelines. The combination of speed,
    range, flexibility, and responsiveness is what differentiates air
    mobility operations from other forms of transport and is critical to
    multi-modal operations contributing to a higher pace for Joint All-
    Domain Operations. As threats evolve and the United States can no
    longer operate from well-established fixed bases, rapid global mobility
    is the lynchpin to persistent logistics, and we are examining unique
    ways to utilize mobility aircraft.
    Air Refueling
        Air refueling, one segment of rapid global mobility, is
    foundational to worldwide power projection. The ability to extend the
    range and persistence of air platforms provides a decisive advantage
    and deterrent against adversaries. To maintain our air refueling edge,
    the Air Force must continue investment in the KC-46 while moving beyond
    legacy KC-10 and KC-135 aircraft. The inability to phase the divesture
    of the legacy tanker fleet shackles funding and manpower resources and
    hampers the fielding of the more capable KC-46 at the rate required to
    support combatant commanders. This negatively impacts air refueling
    capacity and tanker advancement. Offsets from legacy tanker divestment
    in both funding and manpower are critical to the success of the KC-46
    and air refueling as a whole.
    Emerging Logistics
        Every 4.2 minutes a mobility aircraft takes off from an airfield
    somewhere in the world. This is a unique opportunity as mobility
    aircraft are envisioned as critical nodes in the Advanced Battle
    Management System framework. Mobility platforms of all types can act as
    sensor nodes, inputting information into the sensing grid and
    increasing a commander's decision advantage. At the same time, we are
    exploring novel approaches to logistics through Agility Prime, which is
    developing electric vertical takeoff-and- landing vehicles (eVTOL).
    This innovative program will help us rapidly move small numbers of
    personnel and equipment around a battlefield and quickly rise to
    respond to emerging challenges such as isolated Service members. We are
    also training Airmen and developing concepts and practices that allow
    for dispersed, defendable, and mobile logistics networks. We are
    establishing agreements with allies and partners that provide access,
    and the ability to expand access, to key aerial ports, seaports,
    storage nodes, and associated connections.
    Command and Control (C2)
        Inherent to out thinking adversaries is the ability to command and
    control (C2) the joint force. Combatant commanders require an agile
    military that operates seamlessly across domain boundaries at both
    speed and scale. The Air Force's current C2 structure is based on a
    Cold War-era design that is vulnerable and slow--a roadblock to the
    goal of rapid and agile decision making. The enemy can easily target
    our C2 structure's centralized nodes with both kinetic and non-kinetic
    means. C2 must be resilient to attack, responsive to rapid changes,
    integrated across all domains, and secure from exploitation. This core
    mission allows the joint force to create an advantage by converging
    units and capabilities at a time and place of our choosing.
        Achieving decision advantage for combatant commanders requires both
    sensors to gather data and a C2 network to translate and share data
    across the joint force. Real-time dissemination of actionable
    information, aided by artificial intelligence and machine learning,
    allows joint warfighting across all domains at a pace faster than our
    competitors. This speed matters to the decision maker and the
    warfighter. And, with the proliferation of technology, future
    warfighters will have the ability to observe, orient, decide and act
    within minutes--as opposed to hours and days.
    Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS)
        A critical step towards accelerating command and control
    architecture is the Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS)--the
    Department of the Air Force's contribution to Joint All-Domain Command
    and Control. As a new approach towards information sharing and decision
    management, ABMS enables compressed decision making and converging
    effects without domain or geographic boundaries. As a family of
    capabilities--versus a single system--ABMS creates a digital
    environment capable of increasing awareness, creating greater
    understanding, and enabling superior decision making--all of which is
    critical to prevailing in future conflicts.
        As a simple analogy, ABMS strengthens decisions by channeling
    necessary information and capabilities through a ``military internet of
    things.'' This internet, designed with digital standards, is being
    purpose-built to deliver critical capabilities to the joint force
    including secure processing, connectivity, data management,
    applications, sensor integration, and effects integration. ABMS helps
    overcome the Cold War-roadblock of vulnerable command and control
    nodes. For instance, by transforming from a small number of air
    operations centers to a ``military internet of things,'' ABMS allows
    for agile, distributed, and mobile capabilities able to execute mission
    command even when fractured by an enemy attack.
        ABMS's infrastructure is critical to ensuring the joint force
    connects sensors to shooters with machine- to-machine precision and
    speed while increasing commanders' awareness. And just like the
    development of the internet, ABMS is being built across multiple fiscal
    years. FY20 and FY21 have focused on exploring how we can best connect
    sensors and shooters while building partnerships with our industry
    partners. Moving forward, the Air Force will prioritize resources to
    allow the continued building of ABMS's digital network environment and
    infrastructure. By prioritizing the resources to support ABMS
    investment, the Air Force will be able to initiate replacement of
    human-in-the-loop data transfer processes with machine- to-machine data
    exchanges allowing for delivery of multi-domain secure processing and
    data management, connectivity, and applications that synchronize
    sensors and networks. In turn, the joint force is enabled to make
    decisions faster than the adversary is able to respond.
    Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications (NC3)
        Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications (NC3) systems act as
    the central nervous system of our nuclear deterrent. They link the
    President and national leaders to the nuclear force--all day, every
    day, under all conditions, without fail. Without NC3, we cannot
    effectively command and control nuclear forces. And without effective
    command and control of nuclear forces, we cannot deter adversaries.
        Previously, electromagnetic pulses posed the greatest challenge to
    our NC3 networks. Now, electronic warfare, cyber-attack, and threats
    from space all provide challenges to key nodes and systems. Russia,
    while embracing a doctrine of nuclear escalation in conventional
    conflict, is nearly complete with its recent full range of nuclear
    modernization efforts. Equally concerning is China's pursuit of new
    nuclear capabilities tailored to achieve its national security
    objectives while also modernizing its conventional military.
        As we modernize our portion of the nuclear triad, we must also
    modernize our NC3. The Air Force is pursuing communication capability
    enhancements with respect to our bomber force and Ground Based
    Strategic Deterrent so they will be fully integrated into our current
    NC3 systems and has flexibility to adapt as NC3 systems are modernized.
    Moreover, we understand that the strategic environment evolves and is
    increasingly dynamic. Our NC3 architectures and modernization plans
    will be adaptable, look beyond the near-term, and integrate with the
    Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS). While ABMS will enable
    conventional forces, it will also enable nuclear forces with rapid,
    multi-path transmissions that will transform NC3 from a Cold War-era
    relic into a C2 network operating at speeds our adversaries cannot
    match.
        Successfully executing command and control across the joint force
    requires information. A major avenue for that information is the Air
    Force's intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities.
              intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (isr)
        The Air Force conducts intelligence, surveillance, and
    reconnaissance (ISR) missions to analyze, inform, and provide joint
    force commanders with the knowledge needed to achieve decision
    advantage. This ISR sensing grid consists of a robust multi-layered
    network of sensors, platforms, people, devices, and services with the
    goal of delivering a holistic, accurate, predictive, and timely
    characterization of the operating environment. This network is
    interoperable with the joint force, the intelligence community, allies,
    and partners. Domain awareness is underpinned by automation,
    connectivity and analysis; is rooted in intelligence; and is critical
    to the future of warfare. In that future, ISR underpins the Advanced
    Battle Management System (ABMS) architecture and allows joint force
    commanders to achieve an accurate, real-time understanding of the
    environment. This understanding accelerates decision making,
    effectively conducts command and control, and achieves decision
    advantage ahead of competitors.
        Future ISR capabilities must be survivable against high-end threats
    while leveraging forward-looking investments in command and control
    capabilities--including emerging technology like artificial
    intelligence--to present decision-ready information faster than our
    adversaries' capabilities. The Air Force's current ISR systems are
    viable in a counter-insurgency war, but may not effectively contribute
    in tomorrow's competitive environment. Without investment in additional
    capabilities necessary for the high-endfight, we will be reliant on ISR
    platforms that will be ineffective in highly-contested and denied
    environments. As a result, we risk fighting blind.
    Survivable, Relevant Platforms
        ISR platforms play a critical and continuous role in supporting a
    range of military operations. The most important role of intelligence
    in military operations is to provide analysis of key aspects of the
    operating environment to facilitate timely military decisions. Current
    ISR platforms have been able to accomplish this task with relative ease
    because they operated in uncontested and low-threat environments where
    the United States enjoys superiority across all domains of warfare.
    Such freedom of action will not be the case in the future. Future
    threats will challenge the ability of legacy ISR platforms to
    successfully execute their missions.
        In the near future, ISR platforms will feed critical data through
    the Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS), which in turn will
    present near real-time information to joint force decision makers.
    Future airborne ISR platforms will need to survive and operate in a
    more challenging environment. Ongoing modernization efforts will focus
    on a family of platforms that are effective, resilient, and survivable
    against technologically--advanced threats, and able to pass data to
    necessary networks at machine speed. In our discussions going forward,
    we will steer away from platform--centric conversations and focus
    instead on the capabilities needed to inform joint force operations.
        Our adversaries are already fielding technologies that will hold
    our legacy platforms at risk to support the range of military
    operations in a future high-end fight, and the technological evolution
    will continue to accelerate. In order to keep pace ahead of emerging
    threats, we must work with the combatant commands to assess the demand
    signal on current fleets and where acceptable risk can be taken so the
    Air Force can accelerate modernization. Legacy ISR platforms, once
    considered irreplaceable to operations, are often unable to survive or
    deliver needed capabilities on competition-relevant timelines. These
    legacy platforms must be phased out, with resources used to invest in
    modern and relevant systems. Working together, we must take calculated
    risk now in order to reduce the greater future risk.
        For instance, the RQ-4 Block 30 Global Hawk was crucial to the ISR
    requirements of yesterday and today. However, this platform cannot
    compete in a contested environment. And tomorrow's conflicts will be
    contested. Moving beyond this platform allows us to bring the ISR
    enterprise into the digital-age by using sensing grids and fielding
    advanced technology that includes penetrating ISR platforms. The Air
    Force will continue to pursue the FY21 NDAA RQ-4 Block 30 divestment
    waiver in order to repurpose the RQ-4 Block 30 funds for penetrating
    ISR capability. Overall,intelligence collection will transition to a
    family of systems that includes non-traditional assets, sensors in all
    domains, commercial platforms, and a hybrid force of 5th- and 6th-
    generation capabilities.
        A comprehensive investment strategy that the Air Force is bringing
    forward synchronizes divestment of legacy platforms, takes calculated
    risk in upgrading existing platforms, and introduces the next-
    generation ISR family of systems that will feed into ABMS.
                                 new approaches
        The Air Force's core missions encompass both enduring capabilities
    unique to our Service and some capabilities shared with the joint
    force. Airmen are rapidly iterating and innovating improvements to all
    core missions. These new approaches to airpower overcome today's
    roadblocks and focus on tomorrow's great power challenges. Both
    technology and operational concepts benefit from our Airmen's
    perspectives. Every day, Airmen increase the agility, speed,
    resilience, and lethality of our contributions to the joint force.
    Force Generation Model
        The Air Force is also re-examining how we present forces to
    combatant commanders. The core missions of the Air Force continue to be
    in constant demand around the world. And because many of the
    capabilities we provide are exclusive to our Service, our forces have
    been under strain for two decades. This strain negatively impacts
    readiness and our ability to modernize.
        Preparing for near-peer adversaries, the Air Force is implementing
    a new force generation model focused on building and sustaining long-
    term, high-end readiness. Our goal is to more effectively articulate
    readiness impacts and capacity limits, and instill discipline into the
    system. Our new, simplified model, realigns the Air Force with the
    Joint Staff's three phase model, is easily understood by combatant
    commanders, builds towards sustainable readiness, and balances current
    operations with the training necessary for future full-spectrum combat
    operations.
    Agile Combat Employment (ACE)
        The Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS) not only connects
    sensors and shooters but also enhances persistent logistics by sensing
    the threat landscape and material environment. Persistent logistics,
    with the inherent ability to posture, sense, and respond, is the
    warfighting answer to the key operational problem of logistics under
    attack and enables Agile Combat Employment (ACE). ACE is the ability to
    quickly disperse & cluster forces to a cooperative security location
    and conduct operations across all domains with minimal disruption,
    while maintaining operational flexibility. This new method of operating
    will allow the United States to confuse the enemy and strike at a time
    and place of our choosing with minimal risk. The ability of ACE to
    sustain combat operations through persistent logistics has already been
    validated through multiple exercises across both the Pacific and
    European theaters.
        ACE requires technological advances like ABMS, novel equipment, and
    innovative Airmen. Our Airmen are tackling ACE, and the larger
    challenge of persistent logistics, by adapting techniques previously
    associated with special operators. Our commanders support these efforts
    by encouraging critical thinking skills and driving decision making to
    the lowest levels--in many cases our youngest frontline supervisors.
    These empowered Airmen are innovating new approaches to projecting
    combat power across the globe.
    Base and Critical Infrastructure Defense
        The Department's infrastructure defense efforts are currently
    focused on directed energy research, development, test and evaluation;
    counter-small UAS; and investments in cruise missile defense. In the
    coming years, we will steadily increase investment of critical
    infrastructure defense measures to meet the challenges of the future
    fight, ACE, and logistics under attack.
        As China and Russia develop weapons that challenge our superiority
    in the air, they are also making strides that hold our bases at risk.
    While the Air Force will mitigate some risk through persistent
    logistics, the security of our air bases is essential to conducting
    combat operations. Like other aspects of combat operations, base
    defense is inherently joint. And just as the joint force is dependent
    on the Air Force to execute our core missions, the Air Force must
    leverage our sister Services for base defense.
        If future expeditionary and permanent air bases are not protected
    from attack, the Air Force will be challenged to conduct combat
    operations. Without the Air Force's air superiority, the joint force is
    at risk of attack from the air for the first time since the Korean War.
    The Air Force acknowledges that this is a joint problem that requires a
    joint solution, which is why we have allocated experimental funding to
    explore and develop directed energy and kinetic and non-kinetic base
    defense options. Looking forward, the Air Force will prioritize
    resources that will allow it to continue prototyping the ability to
    detect, track, identify, and mitigate small unmanned aircraft system
    threats. Proper base defense encompasses significant decisions with
    far-reaching impacts--we must get this right.
    Infrastructure
        We project power, generate readiness, test new platforms, train to
    support joint operations, and provide safe and healthy communities for
    our families at our bases. As the joint force becomes increasingly
    dependent on an integrated battle network, installations also serve as
    key nodes in enabling mission success around the world. The readiness
    and resiliency of installations is a matter of strategic importance to
    ensure the Air Force can always provide combat capability. Changing
    climate and severe weather events are a continual threat to our
    installations, and we have seen first-hand the impacts climate and
    severe weather have on our installations.
        The Air Force views installation resilience as the capability of a
    base to project combat power by protecting against, responding to, and
    recovering from deliberate, accidental, or naturally occurring events
    that impede operations. We are taking a deliberate, holistic approach
    to installation resilience through Department of the Air Force's
    Installation Energy Strategic Plan. This includes improving the
    resiliency of our energy, cyber, infrastructure, and response options.
                          america's air force for 2030
        This year we celebrate America's 245th birthday and next year the
    Air Force celebrates its 75th anniversary. Throughout our history, the
    Nation prospered because of our willingness to adapt and evolve, to
    adjust course when the situation dictates. Democracy is not a
    birthright, and neither is airdominance. And although airpower is our
    great comparative advantage, tomorrow's competitive environment
    requires that we accelerate change or lose.
        Tomorrow's battlespace will be shaped by human talent, climate
    change, constricting budgetary resources, and challenges posed by great
    powers. The Air Force and its core missions stand ready to exploit the
    air domain, provide nuclear deterrence, and underwrite the national
    security America expects and requires. By working with Congress, we
    will protect the Homeland and defend democratic ideals. Moving forward,
    the Air Force will prioritize its resources so it is able to adapt our
    equipment, support our Airmen, and bolster our core missions. We must
    continue to adjust course and overcome situational challenges so
    America maintains its airpower advantage.
        America cannot wait to modernize the Air Force any longer, not one
    year, one month, or one week. To deter and defeat today's competitors
    and tomorrow's adversaries, we must re-capitalize our Air Force and we
    must do it now... the call to accelerate change or lose is not
    hyperbole--it is a requirement.

                           UNITED STATES SPACE FORCE

                         securing an enduring advantage
        The United States is a space-faring nation. We have long understood
    that our nation is strongest economically, militarily, and
    diplomatically when we have access to, and freedom to operate in,
    space. Unfortunately, potential adversaries have taken note of the
    United States' reliance on space, and this vital national interest can
    no longer be taken for granted; it must be secured. The rapid
    advancements of potential adversaries to threaten U.S. freedom of
    operation in space must be countered with immediate improvements to our
    space defense architecture and capabilities.
        Competitors like China and Russia are challenging America's
    advantage in space by aggressively developing weapons to deny or
    destroy U.S. space capabilities in conflict. Both China and Russia have
    mobile ground-based laser and electronic warfare systems capable of
    jamming and blinding our satellite systems. . China has invested in
    satellite grappling technologies, like the Shijian-17 satellite's
    robotic arm, which could be used in future conflicts. Russia has tested
    an on-orbit system that has released a projectile designed to destroy
    U.S. satellites in low-Earth orbit.
        The United States would prefer that conflict not begin in or extend
    to space. Our goal is to deter conflict in space from happening and
    from spilling over into other domains, and the best way to do so is
    from a position of strength. We are prepared to protect U.S. interests
    today and we are moving fast to ensure we can deter in the future, but
    our ability to deter conflict hinges on demonstrating both capability
    and resolve. Over-classification of existing systems threatens this
    ability, and we are developing a reveal and conceal strategy to ensure
    we can compete, deter, and win in this contested domain.
        The Space Force was established to protect U.S. investments and
    freedom of operation in space, provide space capabilities to the
    Nation, the joint force, sister Services, the intelligence community,
    and our allies and partners. The Space Force is designed to be lean,
    agile, and innovative in order to move at speed and compete in the vast
    domain of space. Our small size also makes us the ideal pathfinder to
    validate new structures and approaches that can provide benefit across
    the joint force. While our budget is roughly two percent of the
    Department of Defense's request, the capabilities we deliver underwrite
    the force design of the entire joint force. Space capabilities have
    become a cornerstone of deterrence, not just in space, but in every
    domain. Without space, our forces abroad, security at home,and allies
    everywhere are at much greater risk. If we lose in space, America
    loses.
        We spent the first year inventing the Space Force, with an
    organizational design that reflects the character of our operating
    environment and the nature of conflict that is likely to manifest. A
    headquarters and Field Command structure aligns complementary functions
    and streamlines command authority in the deliberate pursuit of speed
    and agility. Our first field command, Space Operations Command, stood
    up in October 2020 as the primary space forces provider to the
    combatant commands.We will establish the remaining two field commands
    before the end of 2021: Space Systems Command will develop, acquire,
    and field operationally relevant and resilient space capabilities in
    resilient and defendable architectures, and Space Training and
    Readiness Command will develop tactics, a testing enterprise, doctrine,
    advanced warfare training, and a dedicated cadre of warfighting
    professionals. We have already transferred space missions, billets, and
    monetary resources from 23 Air Force units to the Space Force, and we
    are preparing to merge operations, acquisition, and sustainment for
    some space systems currently distributed across the Army, Navy, and the
    Office of the Secretary of Defense,including the Space Development
    Agency beginning next year.
        In our second year, we are aggressively integrating the Service
    into the fabric of national and international security by collaborating
    across the Department of Defense, interagency, commercial industry, and
    our allies and partners. As the Space Force creates independent
    military options for decision makers, we are preparing a force
    presentation model to optimize integration and delivery of space
    capability to the joint force. We are working to streamline acquisition
    processes to increase decision speed and expedite capability
    development, creating an integrated test enterprise, and doing the
    analytical and developmental work to create the most effective and
    efficient force design for the domain to bring unity of effort across
    the department. Lastly, we have initiated planning for a National Space
    Intelligence Center to provide scientific and technical intelligence as
    well as foundational space intelligence to the Service and the
    intelligence community. These initiatives make us more resilient and
    competitive, and they will put us in a better position to sustain
    continuing advantage.
                      developing and caring for guardians
        The character of operations and aspects of potential conflict in
    space are fundamentally different from the military art of terrestrial
    domains. Vast distances and speeds, potential for first-mover
    advantage, and unique operating environment demand experts that are
    familiar with these physical characteristics.As in all other domains,
    Guardians must stay ahead of adversaries to give joint commanders and
    national civilian leadership new space-based security options. This
    requires a dramatic change in how we attract, recruit, develop, train,
    and retain talent.
        We are committed to ensuring that the Guardians reflect the diverse
    character of the United States--it is a national security imperative.
    Diversity gives us the perspective and skills to meet the challenges of
    our security environment and ensures we can bring our nation's best
    talent to bear on the hardest problems. In order to meet these goals,
    we must work hard to address tough issues like sexual assault,
    extremism, and discrimination within the force; solving these problems
    is essential to building a Service that ensures talented people of all
    genders, orientations, races, ethnicities, and beliefs are included and
    empowered to reach their full potential.
    Guardian Strategy
        To win the battle for talent, we have created a Human Capital
    Office to develop a new strategy for unified talent management for all
    Guardians, in pursuit of an inclusive and team-centric culture. Our
    small size creates the opportunity and the mandate for a tailored
    approach to caring for and developing our Guardians from accessions to
    retirement and beyond.
        This ``Guardian Strategy'' will lead digital enablement by creating
    a digital cadre, an optimized data infrastructure, increased process
    automation, and new digital platforms. Using interviews and other
    assessment tools as well as focusing our Reserve Officer Training Corps
    presence at select universities will support both diversity efforts and
    needs for space related research and technical grounding. We look to
    develop and employ talent by taking a competency-based development
    approach, mandating more robust feedback systems, and creating
    potential-based promotion assessments with sequenced talent management
    boards. In our first year, professional development opportunities and
    promotion rates have increased significantly; we must reinforce
    systemic change to make this an enduring effect.
        The Space Force is developing its own officer and enlisted
    professional military education (PME) programs to fit within the
    broader concepts of the Guardian Strategy to ensure that all members
    are career-long learners, and that learning directly relates to the
    success of their current and future duties. Space Force PME will focus
    on the development of space-minded warfighters who are credible and
    effective in multi-domain warfare and the joint environment. We have
    already expanded space curricula at Airman Leadership School; stood up
    a Space Force Non-Commissioned Officer Leadership Academy; expanded the
    Schriever Space Scholars Program at Air University; and created the
    West Fellowship for Senior Developmental Education. Finally, we are
    taking a proactive approach featuring teams at the unit level to
    strengthen social, physical, and mental attributes to energize personal
    and organizational resiliency. As the Space Force takes care of
    Guardians and their families, it must prepare them to defend our
    Nation.
        Space Force talent must be deliberately managed by well-positioned
    human resources mission partners in the field commands and headquarters
    office to support both military and civilian Guardians.
    Training and Doctrine
        We have completely redesigned our space training and doctrine
    across all space operations competencies, beginning with publication
    last year of a foundational doctrine document. Our training has
    elevated from basic operation of space systems to threat- and target-
    based advanced space warfare training. Guardian training and doctrine
    focuses on seven core competency areas, through advanced training and
    education: orbital warfare, space electromagnetic warfare, space battle
    management, space access and sustainment, military intelligence, cyber
    operations, and engineering and acquisition. Our shift in training and
    doctrine must be complementary to our capabilities and reflect the
    reality of our current and future missions.
        Additionally, Space Training and Readiness Command is bringing
    together training and doctrine to support our tactics, strategies, and
    theories of victory.
                             value of partnerships
        An independent Service focused on space has already provided
    greatly expanded opportunities for partnerships with civil and
    commercial space organizations within the United States and with allies
    and partners around the world. Working through the Department of
    Defense, close cooperation with the National Aeronautics and Space
    Administration and the Department of State has ensured a unified U.S.
    voice in discussions about responsible behavior in space with foreign
    governments. Similarly, through the Department of Defense, we continue
    to work hand in hand with the Department of Commerce on shared
    interests including space traffic management, positioning, navigation,
    and timing programs, applications, and efforts to maintain the space
    industrial base. We are working to expand cooperation with commercial
    partners using both traditional and innovative development pathways;
    seeking means for tighter fusion to take advantage of the enthusiasm
    and energy in the commercial space sector.
        Internationally, our partnerships have historically been built
    around one-way data sharing agreements with a small number of
    countries. As the proliferation and importance of space capabilities
    increases around the world, we are fostering greater cooperation with
    international partners across the board. For example, a hosted payload
    agreement with the government of Norway will save us more than $900
    million and helped us get capability on orbit two years faster. We are
    also working with NATO to further integrate space capabilities and
    knowledge in that alliance, including the stand-up of the first NATO
    Space Operations Center within NATO Air Command. Cooperation with
    allies and partners, on both capability development and operations,
    continues to provide opportunities to decrease cost and increase speed
    and innovation.
                           creating a digital service
        Founded in the Information Age, the Space Force was ``born
    digital.'' We are harnessing modern era advancements and tools to
    accelerate innovation and ensure our military advantages in, to, and
    from space. Under the leadership of the newly established Technology
    and Innovation Office, the Space Force focuses on partnering with U.S.
    government, science and technology industries, and academia to build a
    digital Service to support Space Force missions and business
    operations.
    Digital Headquarters
        Leaders at every echelon of the force require access to data and
    analytics in order to make informed decisions with speed and precision.
    A new data analytic environment and automation tools will streamline
    headquarter processes, enable seamless data sharing, increase decision
    space, and accelerate warfighting outcomes. Digital transformation is
    occurring in operational readiness, talent management (recruiting and
    onboarding), programming and budgeting, and capability development.
    Incapability development, digital models will enhance analyses of
    alternatives, iterate requirements decomposition, improve cost
    estimation fidelity, and ultimately accelerate the planning,
    coordination, and development of optimum solutions to meet critical
    warfighter needs.
    Digital Operations
        Commanders and unit-level Guardians are empowered to innovate
    inside their mission operations, explore novel concepts for space
    domain awareness, Joint All-Domain Command and Control, collaborate
    with small business innovators, and align innovation efforts for
    transition into operations. This effort includes partnerships with the
    Joint Artificial Intelligence Center, industry, and academia to advance
    use of artificial intelligence applications and research.
    Digital Workforce
        Continuous transformation requires digitally-fluent military and
    civilian Guardians. Therefore, we are funding software-coding training
    for military and civilian personnel and leveraging Department-wide
    digital training efforts to improve digital literacy using industry-
    leading commercial courseware. To achieve the goal of a digital
    workforce we must cultivate our collective digital acumen, develop an
    expert cadre of ``Supra Coders,'' and equip and empower them to apply
    agile software practices, use artificial intelligence, and data
    science. Finally, we must place them strategically across the force to
    unleash their talent and energy toward inventive, innovative solutions
    in operations and acquisition.
              accelerating capability design, decision, & delivery
        The Space Force must modernize its architecture to survive and
    execute space power missions in a contested domain and do so at speed.
    To this end, the Space Force is engaged in an end-to-end transformation
    of organizations and processes to accelerate delivery of operationally-
    relevant capabilities. Consistent with our effort to become a ``Digital
    Service,'' we will exploit our digital engineering systems as a
    backbone to connect multiple processes and accelerate capability
    development activities from analysis to integration, decision, and
    acquisition.
    Integrated Analysis for Optimal Design
        The Space Warfighting Analysis Center (SWAC), currently aligned
    under the Space Operations Command, is leading analysis, modeling,
    wargaming, and experimentation to generate new operational concepts and
    force design options for the Department of Defense. The SWAC integrates
    domain expertise with unique analytic tools, datasets, and intelligence
    to develop operational architecture options to fulfill space missions.
    By driving unity of effort, we reduce cost, duplication of effort, and
    increase our speed of decision and action.
    Digital Engineering to Better Inform Requirements
        Rather than static reports, the SWAC's design options are digital
    models, which enable testing of proposed capabilities through
    simulation in an environment that accurately reflects fast evolving
    threats and the space domain. The Space Force Strategy and Resources
    Office (SRO) integrates SWAC's design options with the appropriate
    processes to develop Service capability and programmatic options for
    presentation to the Joint Requirements Oversight Council and Deputy's
    Management Action Group. The SRO also ensures digital models generate
    required data artifacts to inform oversight; Planning, Programming,
    Budgeting, and Execution; and acquisition actions.
    Streamlined Governance for Timely Decisions
        In order to support the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for
    Space Acquisition and Integration, who will eventually have Service
    Acquisition Executive (SAE) authority and chair the Space Force
    Acquisition Council (SAC), the Space Force has established a supporting
    Program Integration Council (PIC). As a collaborative interagency
    leadership council, the PIC facilitates cooperation and deconfliction
    between National Security Space Enterprise stakeholders and ensures
    planning, alignment, execution, delivery, and optimization of
    capabilities across all space mission areas. Streamlined coordination
    across the enterprise via the PIC and SAC improves collaboration and
    better enables timely decisions by the SAE. The Assistance Secretary of
    the Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integration is an essential
    element of this approach and we look forward to implementing this
    congressionally-directed change as quickly as permitted by law.
    Consolidated Space Acquisition Enterprise for Agility
        Finally, in the summer of 2021 the Space Force will stand up the
    Space Systems Command (SSC) to provide for cooperation across space
    acquisition within the Department of the Air Force. Initially comprised
    of the former Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC) and the Service's
    launch enterprise, SSC will also have a limited administrative support
    relationship with the Space Rapid Capabilities Office(SpRCO) and--as of
    the beginning of FY23, per statute--the Space Development Agency (SDA).
    By aligning three organizations with a pedigree in traditional
    acquisition, disruptive acquisition, and commercial acquisition, the
    Department of the Air Force can access best-of-breed solutions. Because
    SSC acquirers will receive digital models with traceable requirements,
    Program Managers and Program Executive Officers will be equipped to
    make faster, more agile decisions and trades. In addition, the space
    acquisition enterprise will continue to improve both commercial and
    allied integration.
                      missile warning and missile tracking
        Strategic and theater missile warning and missile tracking
    capabilities provide indications and warning to protect the homeland,
    joint forces and allies abroad. The evolution of threats to on-orbit
    systems force us to re-think both how we protect and defend our
    strategic assets, and how future strategic capabilities should be
    designed to mitigate threats. The Space Force is partnering with
    combatant commands, the Missile Defense Agency, National Reconnaissance
    Office, and the Space Development Agency to design and build a
    resilient missile warning architecture for the collective defense of
    our nation, joint force, and allies.
    Next-Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared (OPIR)
        We are designing and developing the future architecture for missile
    warning and missile tracking. Next-Generation Overhead Persistent
    Infrared (OPIR) will succeed the current Space Based Infrared System
    (SBIRS) and will provide increased missile warning, missile defense,
    battlespace awareness, and technical intelligence capabilities with
    resiliency and defensive features to counter emerging threats.
        The ground system for Next-Gen OPIR, also known as Future
    Operationally Resilient Ground Evolution (FORGE), migrates satellite
    command and control to the Space Force's Enterprise Ground Services,
    modernizes Mission Data Processing to implement an open framework, and
    upgrades Relay Ground Stations to meet United States Space Command's
    operational requirements. We are using Middle Tier Acquisition
    authorities to rapidly prototype solutions. This pathfinder approach
    delivers the first resilient geosynchronous satellite and associated
    ground system in FY25 and the first polar satellite in FY28.
                      positioning, navigation, and timing
        The Global Positioning System (GPS) remains the ``gold standard''
    for positioning, navigation, and timing for the United States and the
    world. GPS underpins the global economy and our way of war. Adversaries
    have long recognized our dependence on GPS and have proliferated
    technologies to degrade, deny, and spoof GPS signals for civil and
    military users. We are pursuing modernization efforts across the entire
    GPS architecture to include upgrades in space, ground, and user
    segments. The Space Force's future GPS architecture provides more
    robust positioning, navigation, and timing to the joint force, ensuring
    at least one technical generation advantage over any adversary.
    GPS Space Segment
        The Space Force is pursuing significant satellite enhancements to
    our GPS constellation, including higher-power military signals, new
    civilian signals, upgraded nuclear detection system payloads, and
    hosted search-and-rescue payloads. GPS Block III features improved
    signal strength and accuracy, increased anti-jam power, and a longer
    expected design life. The next block of GPS, GPS Block IIIF--available
    for launch in FY26--will deliver regional military-code protection, a
    higher power signal in a given geographic area of operation to boost
    anti-jam capabilities for contested environments.
    GPS Operational Control Segment Next (OCX)
        Operational Control Segment Next (OCX) will develop and field a
    modernized ground system required for the command and control of GPS
    satellites. The OCX program is on track to meet current Acquisition
    Program Baseline cost and schedule milestones. OCX provides expandable,
    robust information assurance architecture to significantly improve
    cyber resiliency, enabling the latest military and civilian GPS
    signals, improving cyber protection, and allowing the system to evolve
    to combat emerging threats.We have completed product test, are
    currently progressing through segment integration, and will transition
    to operations in FY22.
    Military Global Positioning System User Equipment (MGUE)
        Military GPS User Equipment (MGUE) will modernize user equipment to
    enable precision fires, safe navigation, and time coordination across
    multiple platforms in GPS-degraded environments. Military-code receiver
    cards embedded in weapon systems enable cyber-secure, anti-jam, and
    anti-spoof precision, navigation, and timing for the joint force and
    our partners. MGUE Increment one (1) completed developmental testing of
    the Army and Marine Corps lead platforms in FY20. MGUE efforts support
    finalization of card design, testing, and integration with Navy and Air
    Force lead platforms. MGUE Increment two (2) leverages the MGUE
    Increment one (1) technology to the maximum extent while addressing the
    production of M-Code integrated circuits far into the future.
                            command and control (c2)
        Our top priority is to develop a Joint All-Domain Command and
    Control System to ensure United States Space Command and their joint
    and coalition warfighting partners have the capability they require to
    command and control in a contested domain. We have made considerable
    gains this year, fully integrated in, and helping lead, the Advanced
    Battle Management System (ABMS) effort. In recognition that legacy
    space command and control capabilities are insufficient for us to
    prevail in future conflict, we have prioritized the delivery of space
    command and control capabilities using a development, security, and
    operations (DevSecOps) approach to acquisitions. Leveraging the agile
    approaches of commercial software developers, we are rapidly developing
    cyber-resilient capabilities that enhance U.S., allied, and partner
    nation operational-level space warfighting capabilities against the
    adversary.
        The initiatives below build and sustain the infrastructure required
    to connect sensors to shooters using machine-to-machine planning and
    tasking of warfighting capabilities.
    Unified Data Library (UDL)
        The Space Force built and delivered the Unified Data Library (UDL),
    a cloud-based, cyber-accredited, multi-classification data store that
    facilitates universal data access and serves as the foundational
    element of the ABMS data architecture in partnership with the Air
    Force. UDL provides all-domain secure Space Domain Awareness (SDA) data
    sharing from all Services and sensors to support space-focused Battle
    Management and Command and Control; it is also extensible to fit the
    needs of Joint All-Domain Command and Control. This effort adds long-
    term access to a wide variety of space domain awareness data sources
    including commercial, allies, and academia. The UDL creates unified,
    agile procurement of commercial products to bolster Combined Space
    Operations Center and National Space Defense Center operations.
    Additionally, it protects satellite tracking data by seamlessly
    integrating defensive cyber operations.
    Space C2 Open Architecture Operational Prototype (SCOOP)
        The Space Force has also delivered the Space C2 Open Architecture
    Operational Prototype (SCOOP) program, a modern cloud architecture that
    is connected to 40 sites nationwide. Leveraging the Department of the
    Air Force's prior work on open architecture standards, SCOOP delivers a
    command and control capability for our most pressing needs, with the
    ability to connect into other domains, and serves as the foundation of
    our next generation C2 capability.
    Space Domain Awareness (SDA)
        Space Domain Awareness (SDA) is the cornerstone of our ability to
    command and control warfighting capabilities. The Space Force budget
    invests in new terrestrial radars, optical sensors, and space-based
    capabilities and commercial partnerships to increase the quantity and
    quality of space observations. A robust SDA architecture improves our
    indications and warnings, ensures freedom of action in space, and
    enables joint and coalition options to defend critical space
    capabilities. Additionally, investments in secure connectivity and data
    sharing tools improve our collective understanding of our adversaries'
    capabilities and intent.
    Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications
        As part of Department of Defense's efforts to modernize the nuclear
    triad, the Space Force will provide and modernize the space and mission
    control segments for worldwide, secure, jam-resistant, and survivable
    communications. We are pursuing digital development efforts for the
    future disaggregated strategic and tactical satellite communications
    systems to meet emerging threats in the 2030-timeframe. Evolved
    Strategic SATCOM will continue the strategic mission of the Advanced
    Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) satellite program with improved on-
    board resilience features, upgraded satellite capabilities, and
    cybersecurity features. We are leveraging rapid prototyping
    demonstrations to speed the delivery of the space segment to meet the
    warfighter need date in 2032.
    Space System Prototype Transition (SSPT)
        Space System Prototype Transition (SSPT) is a portfolio of programs
    that rapidly advance next-generation space capabilities to the
    warfighter at the speed of relevance. The portfolio leverages the
    commercial industrial base and demonstrates common defense through
    partnerships to enhance resiliency. One example is the development and
    integration of space domain awareness payloads on two Japanese Quasi-
    Zenith Satellite System spacecraft. The hosted payloads will increase
    sensor diversity and enable space surveillance and event detection over
    USINDOPACOM in the geosynchronous orbit regime.
    Transition to Enterprise Ground System (EGS)
        Enterprise Ground System (EGS) will enable the transition from a
    family of legacy stovepiped satellite C2 systems to an improved, open,
    resilient, and common platform. The effort funds modernized system
    interfaces, virtualization, and the translation of mission applications
    to ensure rapid response to emerging threats and integration of new
    capabilities. We continue to develop a Minimum Viable Product for
    foundational services and infrastructure to provide an initial
    Enterprise Capability. EGS will integrate multiple new mission partners
    within the Space Warfighting Construct & Missile Warning mission
    threads, scale multiple services for existing mission partners, and
    integrate them at one or more of three EGS locations. Continued
    investment provides foundational services and infrastructure to deliver
    enterprise-wide command and control services to all Space Force
    satellite programs. We are on track to deliver a fully integrated
    system by 2028.
                            assured access to space
        National Security Space Launch (NSSL) provides assured access to
    space for the nation's most critical warfighting and intelligence
    capabilities. To meet the full set of National Security Space
    requirements, we must continue to competitively invest in domestic
    launch providers' development of new launch systems. The Space Force,
    National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), and the National Aeronautics and
    Space Administration have a coordinated strategy to certify new
    entrants to launch payloads, and continue to work with different launch
    providers to reliably meet our national requirements. The Space Force
    recently completed a five-year strategy to bolster a commercially
    competitive market and transition to domestic launch systems by
    awarding the NSSL Phase Two procurement contract.
        Leveraging this strategy, we are pursuing five National Security
    Space Launches to deliver warfighting capabilities on time. Following
    the outcomes of our Phase Two launch procurement strategy, we will
    continue to engage with industry partners regarding emerging launch
    requirements and technologies to invest in continued assured access to
    space.
    National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Enabling Investments
        We are investing in multiple public-private partnerships to develop
    enabling technologies for future space access, mobility, and logistics.
    Targeted investments in orbital transfer, on-orbit servicing, digital
    engineering, and novel on-orbit propulsion technologies will increase
    U.S. access and freedom to operate in space. We will continue to invest
    in providers of domestic launch services enabling our transition from
    non-allied space launch engines to domestic rocket propulsion systems.
    We will also continue technical maturation, risk reduction, and public-
    private partnership investment to expand domestic and cost-effective
    solutions for assured access to space. Additionally, the Space Force's
    research and development standards must reflect both the mission areas
    and the threat environment. The Space Force is building a more
    defensible and resilient space defense architecture by disaggregating
    on-orbit capabilities. We are building agile and threat responsive
    systems to complicate targeting.
        Additionally, we are building redundancy and resiliency
    countermeasures into the spacecraft and payload designs of our systems.
                                  way forward
        Congress established the Space Force to ensure freedom of action
    for the United States in, from, and to space. This Department of the
    Air Force Posture Statement builds on FY21 efforts in strengthening our
    ability to deliver flexible capabilities and strategic options at
    operationally relevant speeds to outpace emerging and dynamic threats.
    The Service's streamlined and integrated organizational design also
    creates new military options with the joint force, inter-agencies,
    industry, and our partners and allies. We are eager to work with
    Congress to build a common understanding of both the strategy and the
    investments needed to secure our Nation's vital interests.

        Senator Tester. Thank you, General Raymond.
        We will start with questions. Senator Leahy.
        Senator Leahy. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        And I might note as a personal matter, I enjoyed talking
    with General Jones before we started about his time at Aviano
    Air Base, which is about 2 or 3 miles from where both my
    maternal grandparents were born, and Senator Shelby has been
    there, been there with me.
        Secretary Roth, I have followed the Air Force's investment
    in electrical vertical takeoff and landing vehicles, or eVTOLs,
    I believe you call them. I even provided a recorded message for
    the AFWERX's virtual Agility Prime event last year.
        When I am home in Vermont, actually I land at the
    Burlington airport. And I can walk from where I got off the
    plane to Beta Technologies, and I see one of these eVTOLs built
    by that company running test flights in our skies, and it is
    pretty impressive.
        The budget request includes $57 million for Agility Prime,
    makes it the centerpiece of a new AFWERX initiative called
    AFWERX Prime, as you know. And what have you learned from
    Agility Prime that sets a model for this new approach to use
    Federal dollars to complement private investment?
        Secretary Roth. Well, exactly as you outlined, Senator
    Leahy. I think the key for Agility Prime, and in particular the
    entire AFWERX initiative and efforts and all, is for us to
    leverage in a much greater way commercial capability. In fact,
    one of the names for the head of AFWERX is our ``chief
    commercialization officer.'' And so that is the key here is
    this is our way of seeking out partnerships with nontraditional
    defense or nondefense contractors and innovative kinds of
    organizations as well.
        Over the last couple of years, we have awarded over 1,500
    contracts through the AFWERX initiative for about $700 million,
    and 75 percent of those 1,500 contracts were new--new to the
    Defense Department. That is exactly the kind of thing that we
    want to leverage going forward.
        Senator Leahy. And I know we put--the last couple of years,
    we put $25 million----
        Secretary Roth. Yes.
        Senator Leahy [continuing]. From this committee for Agility
    Prime, and so you feel that what was accomplished from that
    leads to the doubling of the request for this year?
        Secretary Roth. Yes. It is part of our science and
    technology program. And Agility Prime, you know, it is a neat
    effort, as you say. People nickname it ``the passenger car''
    and all, and it may have some combat rescue kinds of efforts or
    logistics support and all. But it is just an opportunity to do
    things that we don't normally do, and it has worked to such an
    extent we are now going to stand up a SpaceWERX as well, okay,
    to try to do the same sort of things with the space
    capabilities.
        And again, it is our way of trying to plug in--we
    understand the commercial market, and many of these
    technologies is way ahead of us.
        Senator Leahy. So I am not wasting my time going by and
    seeing what they are doing?
        Secretary Roth. No, I hope not. I actually hope not. We are
    very excited by what is going on there, and it is all a matter
    of, you know, we have taken a lot of beatings over the years of
    stovepipe, overly bureaucratized sort of acquisition process.
    This is a way of breaking that paradigm and looking at
    innovative ways of doing things, smarter, quicker, and tapping
    into new technologies.
        Senator Leahy. Thank you.
        And General Brown, the Vermont National Guard's newest
    aircraft, the F-35A, has been operating at full capacity in
    Vermont for a year, over a year now. They have met all their
    training requirements. They participated in responding to the
    pandemic under our governor's command.
        My only concern I had about them is that the smart system
    purchased by the Air Force to manage that fleet's sustainment
    remains behind in its capabilities, and I worry about the
    maintenance and sustainability of the F-35. I know you want to
    take care of our people every way you can. So my final question
    is, are you looking at if this is being done as well as it
    could, the maintenance and all? Whoever wants to answer.
        General Brown. Sure. I appreciate the question.
        And one of the key areas for us, as we work the sustainment
    and to bring the sustainment costs down for the F-35, is not
    only what we do in terms of the Air Force, but it is a close
    cooperation with the joint program office, with our industry
    partners, as we have worked through bringing down sustainment
    costs.
        And the key piece for the Air Force, one of the areas is
    how we work our flying hour program, which that drives the fuel
    cost. It is also how we work our manpower and how we work
    parts. And we are focused on how we work through all three of
    those. And one of the areas that is unique or different from
    what we have normally done is to do more of our work in the
    synthetic environment or in simulators, particularly with a
    very high-end capability in some of the sense of things we want
    to do that can also help to drive down some of the sustainment
    costs.
        Senator Leahy. And I apologize for saying at one point
    ``General Jones,'' and of course, I meant General Brown.
        And General Raymond, our talks that we have had before I
    really appreciated, and I hope we can have some more of those
    this year.
        So thank you all very much, and thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        Senator Tester. Yes. Senator Shelby.
        Senator Shelby. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        The Department of the Air Force posture statement notes,
    and I quote, that ``competitors like China and Russia are
    challenging America's advantage in space by aggressively
    developing weapons to deny or destroy U.S. space
    capabilities.''
        General Raymond, could you discuss here in open hearing
    what you can what the Space Force is doing to ensure that U.S.
    military and commercial space assets are protected from these
    threats, as much as you can?
        General Raymond. Absolutely. Thanks for the question.
        And that threat, as I mentioned in my opening statement, is
    very robust today, and it is growing, and it is very
    concerning.
        Senator Shelby. That threat is real, though, isn't it?
        General Raymond. It is real today. It is not something that
    we are thinking about that is going to materialize. It is real
    today and something that we have to address.
        We are addressing it in multiple ways. One, we are
    developing and training our folks to operate in a contested
    domain. We are developing tactics, techniques, and procedures
    to be able to operate through that congestion. We are designing
    new architectures. So rather than having a satellite
    constellation that has a handful of very exquisite, very
    expensive, very slow satellites that are not very defendable,
    and shifting to a more defendable architecture.
        We are also developing international partnerships to the
    level that we have never had before in the national security
    space side, and what used to be one-way partnerships now are
    really two-way partnerships that are delivering advantages. We
    operate together. We train together. We exercise together. We
    wargame together.
        And for the first time, we are actually developing
    capabilities together, and now we are getting capabilities onto
    orbit faster at a reduced cost. And so there is not just one
    thing that we are doing. There is everything that we are doing
    as we establish this Space Force is focused on being able to
    stay ahead of that threat.
        Senator Shelby. We recently--this subcommittee under the
    Chairman's leadership, we recently had a classified hearing
    regarding a lot of the future issues that we could talk about
    there. But the Air Force fiscal 2022 budget request includes
    increased development funding for the nuclear enterprise,
    hypersonic weapons, advanced fighters, and so forth.
        What could you discuss here in open session whether there
    is such a need to focus on other technology areas?
        General Raymond. Inside the space domain, there absolutely
    is, sir. And there are four things that we are doing.
        First of all, we have to protect those capabilities that we
    have on orbit today. And so if you look at the budget request
    that we submitted, about 50 percent of that budget growth is
    for missions transferring over from other services. The other
    growth is on largely classified areas that we can go to in
    greater detail.
        But it is protecting what we have. It is developing a new
    architecture to shift to a more defendable capability. Three,
    it is developing an offense because we are an armed service.
    And four, it is looking at what other missions should transfer
    to space because we can do it there more cheaply or more
    effectively.
        And so it is balancing those four priorities, and I will be
    happy to go into significant detail in a closed hearing on
    capabilities.
        Senator Shelby. In a closed hearing. Isn't this a race,
    technological race that we cannot afford to lose?
        General Raymond. Sir, I could not agree more. As I
    mentioned in my opening comments, we spend--and every taxpayer
    dollar is precious. We spend 2.5 percent of our budget on
    space. Space is a huge force multiplier.
        All the other services--the Army, the Navy, the Air Force,
    Marines--and all of our joint war plans, all assume that we are
    going to have access to space and that we have freedom to
    maneuver. If you lose that, we have a strong risk of losing,
    and we cannot afford to lose space.
        Senator Shelby. General, could you--General Brown, I will
    direct this to you, sir. Can you comment on China's efforts,
    just what you can in open session, to increase capabilities,
    including their investments in advanced aircraft and hypersonic
    weapons? You know, that is a given. We understand that, and
    they are pretty far advanced. They have the technological base,
    do they not?
        General Brown. Thank you, Senator.
        One of the things I would highlight is not only in my time
    here as the Chief of Staff, but the past year as the PACAF
    (Pacific Air Forces) commander was to watch how the People's
    Republic of China and their armed forces were increasing their
    capability in their testing of hypersonic weapons, their
    increased operational aspect of their aircraft, the increased
    range of their missiles. And we have got to continue----
        Senator Shelby. That is offense and defense, isn't it?
    Both.
        General Brown. Both offense and defense, yes, Senator. And
    so it is concerning to me that we have an advantage today, but
    I think we have still got to continue to move forward so we do
    not lose that advantage as an Air Force.
        Senator Shelby. Mr. Secretary, I leave one for you. The
    quest and the challenges that we all face in quantum computing,
    but that is something that could change just about everything,
    is it not?
        Secretary Roth. Well, it certainly can. And with that,
    things like artificial intelligence. So, I mean, there is a
    series of technological priorities that we have. One is
    microelectronics. We need to invest in microelectronics.
        Hypersonics, the general mentioned hypersonics. We need to
    invest in hypersonics.
        And artificial----
        Senator Shelby. Are they interrelated somewhere at times?
        Secretary Roth. They are all interconnected in some manner,
    shape, or form. Absolutely, Senator. You are spot on.
        Senator Shelby. But it is the next generation, isn't it?
        Secretary Roth. Well, that is the point. We are looking to
    the future. We are looking to 2025, 2030, and beyond. And our
    sense is we need, given the major power competition that we are
    facing here in the future, that we need to target our
    investments toward the future.
        Senator Shelby. In the area of cybersecurity, we have
    recently witnessed in this country a little of it, but a lot of
    it in the East Coast that shut down the pipeline, Colonial
    pipeline temporarily. We have the capability to do a lot of
    things, too. But a lot of these countries don't really own up
    to what they are doing or they let other people do under their
    umbrella, so to speak.
        How do we get our hands on defending cybersecurity there,
    and is it more of a challenge than people think?
        Secretary Roth. I will start, and the two generals can come
    bail me out at some point here.
        Senator Shelby. Okay. It goes through Defense and
    everything, but also the private sector.
        Secretary Roth. Yes. No, we need to partner with the
    private sector. We--of course, we help work with CYBERCOM in
    terms of their capabilities. Some of our airmen and guardians
    are on their team, on their cybersecurity teams and these kinds
    of things. So we work very closely with them.
        We are also very concerned about protecting our networks,
    and I will say, for example, that a lot of what we are going to
    do in the future is this Joint All-Domain Command and Control.
    Our piece of this is the Advanced Battle Management System.
    Data security, cybersecurity, in order to get that data from
    point A to point B, becomes absolutely fundamental for us to
    operate in the future.
        Senator Shelby. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        Senator Tester. Yes, thanks, Senator Shelby.
        I am going to get a little more parochial. So this is for
    you, General Brown. I would like to get an update from you on
    the MH-139 helicopter. This helicopter is vital to our ICBM
    (intercontinental ballistic missile) bases, but there are no
    funds in this budget to buy more in 2022.
        So a couple questions. Number one, if there are any
    problems with the MH-139, what are they? When will they be
    fixed? And in Montana, for example, these helicopters were
    supposed to be here in the fall of 2021. They are projected to
    be there in the fall of 2023, but this budget looks to me like
    they are not even going to be there in the fall of 2023.
        Could you just let me know what is going on?
        General Brown. Sure, Senator. One of the challenges we have
    run into, this is the MH-139 is built on a commercial platform
    where they added military equipment to it. And then in the
    process of testing, we ran into a couple of issues on the
    military application that was added to the commercial
    helicopter.
        We are resolving that piece. At the same time, we are
    continuing testing with the rest of the MH-139, and the intent
    here really to get to about the second quarter of fiscal year
    2023 is when we expect to have the delivery of the MH-139,
    which is part of the reason why we did not go and procure
    during this particular budget cycle as we complete the testing.
        Senator Tester. So give me that again. Can Malmstrom expect
    those helicopters in the fall of 2023?
        General Brown. Second quarter 2023 is when we expect to--
    fiscal year 2023, so it would be the fall or even a little bit
    before that.
        Senator Tester. Okay. And what impact not having any money
    for those helicopters in this budget mean?
        General Brown. It doesn't--we are continuing the testing.
    It is just we are not going to procure any during this
    particular budget cycle.
        Senator Tester. Okay, okay. But these are already procured,
    right?
        Secretary Roth. Senator that delay actually is just a
    matter of months. The contract award in fiscal year 2022 was
    scheduled for the fourth quarter.
        Senator Tester. Okay.
        Secretary Roth. And because of the slippage in the FAA
    (Federal Aviation Administration) certification, it is now
    slipping into fiscal year 2022--or 2023, excuse me. So the 2022
    money was actually unexecutable. So we simply made a bit of a
    budget shift, and the delay there is months, not years.
        Senator Tester. Gotcha. Thank you.
        So, General Brown, I want to talk about 130s for a second.
    I talked in my opening statement about the fact that legacy, if
    you walk up to me and say we don't need this equipment anymore,
    I value that perspective. And quite frankly, I am going to do
    my best to make sure that we meet the needs of the Air Force,
    and if these aren't needed anymore, we should do away with
    them.
        I do have a question about the C-130s, though. And that is
    there are many, many Guard units throughout the United States
    that have them. They seem to be a pretty good aircraft. They
    have certainly stood the test of time, and they still have a
    pretty, I think, important cargo aspect to them from an airlift
    capacity.
        This budget divests of eight of those C-130Hs. So the
    question is, number one--and I hate to ask this question, but I
    have got to ask this question. When you are looking at needs,
    are you looking at domestic needs, too? I would assume the
    answer to that is yes?
        General Brown. We are. We look at both the needs for our
    national security both overseas, but also here inside of the
    United States for home and defense, both of our----
        Senator Tester. Okay. So what information do you have that
    shows that the National Guard has excess tactical airlift
    capacity?
        General Brown. It is part of the analysis we do with
    TRANSCOM (United States Transportation Command) as we look at
    this overall C-130 fleet. And as we look in that end, C-130Js,
    the C-130Js are a bit more capable as far as range and as well
    as capacity----
        Senator Tester. Yes.
        General Brown [continuing]. Than our C-130H models. And we
    are upgrading from our H1 to our H2 and H3, which provides some
    additional capacity from the older C-130s.
        Senator Tester. So can you tell me--I hope you can,
    actually--how many National Guard squadrons are going to lose
    flying missions in this budget?
        General Brown. In this budget, that is kind of a
    complicated question. As we look at not only C-130s, but with
    all the things that we are trying to get done across the Air
    Force, in some cases, it is a one-for-one, where we are going
    from H models to J models for the C-130.
        Senator Tester. Yes.
        General Brown. The same thing on our tankers, KC-46s to
    replace 135s and KC-10s. In some cases, we are going to look to
    move to future missions. And I will have to come back with more
    details on the specifics, if you have a specific location you
    are interested in.
        Senator Tester. So the last one, and then I am going to
    move on to Senator Moran. But is it fair to say that there will
    be some Guard unit squadrons gone after this budget is
    implemented?
        General Brown. I wouldn't--Senator, I wouldn't say gone.
    What I would say is what we are doing with each one of our
    Guard units is not to leave any one of them uncovered.
        Senator Tester. Okay.
        General Brown. And making sure that we have missions,
    whether it is going back into a C-130 or into another airplane,
    but missions that are required for the United States Air Force,
    not only for the Air Force, but for our joint teammates and for
    our Nation.
        Senator Tester. Okay. Senator Moran.
        Senator Moran. Chairman, thank you.
        General Brown, let me continue with you. I am pleased to
    see that the Skyborg program is moving forward. Unmanned
    autonomous wingmen have, I think, a real potential to protect
    our pilots while acting as a force multiplier, and I appreciate
    especially that the Air Force has recognized the expertise of a
    university in my State, Wichita State University, and decided
    that they should be a part of the Skyborg program.
        Would you discuss for me the importance of digital design
    and advanced manufacturing as the Air Force--as new Air Force
    programs such as Skyborg are announced and undergo a less
    traditional acquisition process?
        General Brown. Sure. Senator, I see it as kind of the way
    of doing things in the future when you look at a digital
    acquisition approach or use digital engineering, open mission
    systems, and agile software to develop our capability much
    faster than we have in the past. At the same time, being able
    to do that not just inside of the Department of Defense, but
    how we also work with our industry partners, both our large
    industry partners or even smaller companies that we don't
    normally engage with or have not traditionally engaged with.
    But also as we work with academia, like Wichita State.
        Those opportunities are tremendous because of the brain
    power and innovation we have within our Nation to bring that
    capability together to use it not only for our national defense
    needs, but for other needs in terms of the Nation.
        Senator Moran. I appreciate that answer. Would you describe
    how digital design transforms the way the Air Force designs and
    maintains its aircraft?
        General Brown. One of the pieces about digital design is
    now you can actually share the design of whatever platform or
    whatever aircraft not just with the company that is building
    it, but with all the subcontractors. And so, when they are able
    to share that design, all the pieces and parts come together
    much more quickly.
        And having had a chance to visit some of our industry
    partners that are going down this path, it speeds up the
    process to be able to manufacture capability. It drives down
    the risk in execution in building and gets us on cost and on
    schedule much better than we have been in the past.
        Senator Moran. The overall budget and the end of the year
    strength reductions are troublesome to me, Air Force and
    otherwise. My understanding--and as an example of the concern,
    my understanding is that the Air Force is still working to
    restore manning levels, person levels for fully qualified
    aircraft maintainers since sequestration.
        And so those two things seem to me to be in conflict, and
    this may be for the Secretary. What is the Air Force planning
    to do to protect its aircraft maintainers from overwork and
    ensure that our most skilled maintainers want to stay in the
    Air Force?
        General Brown. I will start. So as we have plussed up our
    manpower since sequestration on the maintenance side, so we are
    fully manned on our maintenance. But we are also building their
    experience, and so that is important from that aspect.
        The other is how do we work smarter, not harder? And being
    able to use the advantages of technology, we just talked about
    digital engineering. That approach helps us to speed up our
    ability to fix and maintain our aircraft, but we are also
    looking at our retention models and how we support the
    retention of that quality airman and quality talent that comes
    into our Air Force, and so we are not having to continue to
    retrain.
        And so we are making progress in these areas. I am pretty
    proud of the fact that we are fully manned. But again, we have
    got to experience that full manning to ensure we can actually
    be ready----
        Senator Moran. General, let me understand your answer. Are
    you suggesting--and this is not I am taking offense at it. But
    the premise of my question is, is no longer accurate, that
    things are okay in this manning situation?
        General Brown. Well, as far as we are close to 100 percent
    manning. It is just the experience levels. We brought a number
    of young airmen in at the same time, so building up their
    experience. So we have the numbers, but the experience level
    needs to increase.
        Senator Moran. Okay. Thank you.
        Thank you.
        Senator Tester. Senator Feinstein.
        Senator Feinstein. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.
        General Brown, it was good to speak with you on the
    telephone 2 weeks ago, and I would like to follow up with you
    and the Secretary on an issue I raised during our call.
    California, as you know, is facing a horrible drought, and we
    have had 5 times as much acreage burn this year so far as we
    had last year. Last year, 4 million acres, 10,000 structures,
    including 5,000 homes, burned. So that tells you a little bit
    about the size.
        Yesterday, I received your letter--thank you very much--
    updating me on progress in modifying the seven Coast Guard
    aircraft for transfer to the State of California and to CAL
    FIRE in particular for firefighting. This was directed in the
    2019 Defense Authorization Act.
        So here is the question. You state in your letter that the
    last aircraft will be delivered in June of 2023. You also say
    that you will accelerate the timeline if you are able to. So is
    there any news for California? Is there anything that we can do
    to help you accelerate delivery?
        General Brown. Again, I appreciate speaking with you as
    well.
        And a little more detail from our conversation and the
    letter, the summer of 2023, June of 2023 will be the last of
    the seven aircraft. The last of the seven aircraft will be
    delivered in June of 2023. There are already--the steps for the
    aircraft is to go through a depot maintenance and then put the
    retardant delivery system onto the aircraft.
        So there are two aircraft that are already through the
    depot and going through the process of getting the retardant
    delivery system put on in Sacramento. And so the first two will
    be done at the fall of 2022. And then it will be through the
    next 6 to 7 months you will get the rest of the aircraft by
    June of 2023.
        And my commitment is to try as much as we can to work with
    California and the depot there in Sacramento to accelerate as
    much as we can.
        Senator Feinstein. Well, it is very much appreciated. As
    you know, these are big fires, and the amount of acreage burned
    is really huge.
        I hope to get in a second question. The budget put forward
    by the Department of Defense and by the Air Force is driven
    largely by the need to compete with China. Today, the Senate is
    considering a very broad array of measures to get tough on
    China. At the same time, I have a very strong belief that
    dialogue is critical to ensuring transparency and to reducing
    misunderstandings.
        One of the things that I learned is that there has never
    been a military-to-military communication on an ongoing
    effective basis with China. And I have written about this, and
    is there any effort to change this and improve relations with
    some military-to-military contacts, as many nations do? I think
    it would be a big help.
        General Brown. Senator, I would have to defer to our--
    within the Department of Defense policy on where they are as
    far as working through this process. But I will tell you that I
    would support the opportunity for myself and I think for the
    other service chiefs to communicate at a senior level to avoid
    miscalculation that may cause greater risk for all of us. And I
    agree with you. Dialogue is important.
        Senator Leahy. I would agree.
        Senator Feinstein. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        Senator Tester. Senator Murkowski.
        Senator Murkowski. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        Gentlemen, thank you all for being here. Thank you for your
    leadership.
        General Brown, let me begin with you. You and I have had an
    opportunity previously to discuss the need for additional
    tanker support for missions and training in Alaska. Earlier
    this year, we were made aware of an additional four KC-135s
    that are going to join that fleet at Eielson. Thank you. Thank
    you for that. We appreciate it.
        I am also aware of the Air Force plan to divest the KC-135s
    as the KC-46s are available to replace our aging tanker fleet.
    Can you give me an update on the current timeline for
    divestiture, when we might begin seeing those in Alaska, and
    then, as a follow-on, whether or not those KC-135s will be
    replaced with the KC-46s and whether there is a chance that
    those KC-46s will rotate in and out of Alaska in the interim?
        General Brown. Sure. So as far as the four KC-135s that we
    spoke about that are coming to Alaska with about approximately
    200 airmen and their families, that should occur in fiscal year
    2023.
        Senator Murkowski. Okay.
        General Brown. That will be after we have gone through the
    environmental assessment to bring up that capability.
        What I do see, based on mission requirements and the
    opportunity to train up in the JPARC (Joint Pacific Alaska
    Range Complex) with RED FLAG-Alaska, is the opportunity for KC-
    46s to come in either to support actual missions and/or to do
    training. And so I do suspect that you will see KC-46s
    operating up in Alaska. I would also add as we--as the Air
    Force has laid out its Arctic strategy, to operate the KC-46 in
    an Arctic environment will also be important.
        As we go to the future for our tanker fleet, to maintain
    our fleet of 479 tankers, we will get to 179 KC-46s and 300 KC-
    135s. So we will maintain KC-135s for a period of time. At some
    point, probably a number of years into the future, we will have
    to take a look at those remaining KC-135s and how we
    recapitalize those going forward.
        Senator Murkowski. But you do see those KC-46s as being
    part of this rotation in Alaska then at some point?
        General Brown. Yes, ma'am. Because just like most of our--
    for the Air Force, our capability to operate all around the
    world, as I say, anytime, anywhere, to include Alaska, is an
    opportunity to bring the KC-46s to Alaska and many other places
    around the world.
        Senator Murkowski. Good. Appreciate that.
        We had a hearing a couple weeks ago with General Hokanson.
    This was the National Guard and Reserve hearing. And I had
    asked him if he could take a look into the HH-60 upgrades and
    the additional aircraft that are needed for the three rescue
    squadrons there at JBER.
        What I am told is that these HH-60s that belong to the
    176th have the highest operational tempo in the Air Force, and
    they have the highest utilization rate. We recognize that the
    wing needs additional and upgraded HH-60s. They got a pretty
    stepped-up mission demand, and then this growing focus, as you
    have just mentioned, that the DOD (Department of Defense) has
    placed on the Arctic region just really just builds on that.
        The current plan to bed down additional aircraft in the
    State isn't targeted until 2026. So there is kind of a
    misalignment here, and I raised this with General Hokanson. He
    mentioned at that hearing that he intended to connect with you
    to talk about this. So I would ask you the same question.
        What options exist to allow for perhaps a reprioritization
    of these assets, and is this utilization rate calculated in the
    decisionmaking process?
        General Brown. Senator, as we looked at the laydown for our
    HH-60s and our ``gulfs'' and our ``whiskeys,'' which are our
    new models, we do the swap-out based on the oldest aircraft.
    And the Alaska Air National Guard, with their HH-60s have the
    newest of our G models that they just received in 2020, which--
    and we do look at the operational tempo. We also look at the
    age of the aircraft as we make that transition, which drives to
    where Alaska now has the newest of the Gs.
        And then they will be in line to get the newest--the
    ``whiskey,'' which is our newer model, as you describe in 2026.
        Senator Murkowski. Again, we recognize that there is a lot
    of work that goes into that particular mission.
        My time has expired. But General Raymond, know that I would
    like to follow up with you, and I will probably do so by way of
    a question for the record, with regards to updates on where we
    are with the Space Guard Reserve force. As you know, we have
    had an opportunity to talk about the role of Clear Air Force
    Station there and how that is just key to essential Space Force
    assets.
        So I will look forward to that update.
        General Raymond. Thank you, ma'am. I look forward to it.
        Senator Murkowski. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        Senator Tester. Senator Schatz.
        Senator Schatz. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you,
    Generals and Mr. Secretary.
        I want to talk to you, Mr. Secretary, about energy
    reliability. The President issued an executive order
    establishing a Federal clean energy standard--electricity
    standard, excuse me, and it requires all Government agencies,
    including DOD, to use their procurement authority to help move
    the country toward a carbon-free electricity sector by 2035.
        So can you talk to me about how you are using your
    procurement authority to comply with the President's executive
    order?
        Secretary Roth. We are, in fact, using that authority. We
    have focused on developing a series of energy projects that try
    to enhance our installation resilience. And so we are using
    some pretty well-established contract avenues and venues to
    both utilities and energy savings companies in order just to
    improve our posture in terms of the energy resilience of our
    bases.
        There is actually something called the Federal Utility
    Partnership Working Group that we are part of and that we work
    with in order to enhance our energy resilience.
        Senator Schatz. Those sound like ongoing efforts. Is there
    anything that you have changed as a result of the President's
    executive order?
        Secretary Roth. Well, these are actually--the answer is we
    have budgeted in fiscal year 2022 an additional $68 million
    over and above what we have had in terms of the past--the past
    level of funding in order to increase our emphasis on those
    kinds of things.
        And there is two kinds of energy resilience that we looked
    at in particular. One is installation resilience, and of
    course, we are a major energy user for our aircraft as well. In
    terms of the entire Defense enterprise, we, the Air Force, for
    better or worse, use two-thirds of the total fuel bill in the
    entire Air Force.
        Senator Schatz. I want to just drill down a little deeper
    because----
        Secretary Roth. Sure.
        Senator Schatz [continuing]. It seems to me that there are
    projects and programs and initiatives, right, energy savings
    performance contracts and all that. And then the fuel stuff is,
    I think, a longer lead time item, we can all agree.
        But specifically using the procurement system for your sort
    of run of the mill, especially based on installation operations
    is what I am trying to get at. Because I think you can carve
    out a sort of clean energy project and point to it. That is one
    thing. But unless you use the full power of the Department and
    its procurement authority, then I don't think you are entirely
    complying with the executive order.
        And I would ask you to take another look at that and not
    just sort of rely upon, hey, what are we doing in clean energy,
    and how does that match up with the President's executive
    order? But rather, we have got these authorities. The President
    is asking us to use those in our daily procurement of energy,
    and I think that that part hasn't quite yet happened.
        First of all, do you agree with that, or do you think I am
    getting that wrong?
        Secretary Roth. I am not sure. So let me do this. Let me
    commit to you, let us get together and let me send some of the
    folks who are the subject matter experts to talk to you. I am
    not that deep on it, and so I think that is a fair point. And I
    think let us provide you more details, and we can go from
    there.
        Senator Schatz. Okay, thank you.
        And just following along these lines, after Hurricane
    Michael destroyed part of Tyndall Air Force Base and damaged
    more than a dozen F-22s there, the Air Force made a very quick
    basing decision to move three F-35 squadrons to the base. And
    it is--there is just no evidence, and I have looked very hard
    for it, that the Air Force made that decision with any
    consideration of the fact that we are facing increasing
    severity and frequency of severe weather.
        And especially where Tyndall is, it is almost a guarantee
    that it is going to get hit again with a severe weather event.
    And so I would like you to tell me whether there is something I
    am missing regarding the analysis that was performed in
    deciding to base the F-35s there. I get the range issue,
    although there is--as you know, there is an Air Force
    installation I think 90 miles away. So there is an argument
    around that.
        But more specifically, even if you did arrive at this is an
    important range, we don't want to lose it, it is perfect for
    the F-35, you still have to do a climate analysis, right? Not
    for ideological reasons, but because we don't want to lose our
    assets again. And I am wondering if you can speak to whether or
    not there was any analysis about severe weather impacting our
    assets?
        Secretary Roth. What drove the decision in general was, in
    fact, the availability of the airspace and the fact that it is
    a terrific asset for us to train with. That said, I think we
    are actually pretty proud of rebuilding Tyndall. If you have an
    opportunity, we would love for you to come take a look at it.
        It is going to be a model base, and we are taking the
    climate impact very much into consideration. The building that
    we are doing is well above building code. We are going to make
    sure that our buildings can absorb a certain amount of storm
    surge. They are going to be a foot or more above what they were
    before. And the buildings are going to be built to a higher
    wind standard, 165 miles an hour, whereas I think the local
    code is something like 125 miles an hour.
        So we are well aware of the kind of risks that are involved
    in that region, and we are going to try to make sure that
    Tyndall is much more resilient than it was in the past.
        Senator Schatz. Thank you.
        Senator Tester. Yes, we got great airspace in Montana, too.
        Senator Boozman.
        Senator Boozman. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, very much. And
    thank you for having this very important hearing.
        Secretary Roth, we appreciated your phone call last week
    regarding the basing of the F-35s and the Air Force, the
    Singapore Air Force F-16s. That was good news. And again, as I
    said, that is great for the area and all of that, but that
    really is the best decision for the country.
        General Brown, we appreciated getting to visit with you on
    the phone not too long ago and talking about Air Force
    priorities. Yesterday, I had the opportunity to visit with
    Chief Bass. She represents you very, very well and I think is
    doing an outstanding job. You all make a great team.
        And General Raymond, earlier today, getting to visit with
    you about your priorities, I thank all of you all for the great
    job that you are doing, and we will help you any way we can.
    You know that.
        The Air Force, General Brown, is looking at adding, growing
    its fleet of F-35s, fifth-generation fighters, in order to keep
    up to counter our adversarial threats. They are some of the
    most expensive programs in the defense budget. How does the Air
    Force getting--how are we doing that? And again, this is for
    all of you all. What are we doing to lower our procurement
    costs? How are we able to sustain cost so that we can continue
    to equip our airmen with the best aircraft in the world? Either
    one----
        Secretary Roth. Well, I will start----
        Senator Boozman. Yes, sir.
        Secretary Roth [continuing]. And then we can move on. What
    we have adopted in terms of acquisition of new systems is we
    are trying to take advantage of many of the new authorities
    that have been provided to us in recent Authorization Acts in
    terms of trying to do things smarter, trying to do things
    quicker, and being more agile in how we do things, the greater
    use of prototyping, greater use of using sort of serial kind of
    procurement rather than focusing on one end objective and
    having a 20-year kind of an acquisition program.
        So we are being much more agile. We talked earlier today
    about digital, the digital trinity. So we are using digital
    engineering. We are using open systems architecture. And we are
    using those kinds of capabilities as we go forward.
        I would offer that two or three of our major examples of
    that that are in the fiscal year 2022 budget is one is the Next
    Generation Air Dominance program, which is platform-centric,
    and it is looking in terms of making sort of a serial
    improvement to the platform as we go forward.
        The other is the global--the strategic missile, you know,
    the ICBM replacement program. And that, too, is using heavy-
    use. I actually had an opportunity to go out to Hill Air Force
    Base and visit with both the Government side and the contractor
    side, and it is just fascinating the way they are using just
    basically modeling, digital engineering modeling in order--and
    they have met every milestone in terms of cost, schedule, and
    performance to date. Still relatively early in the program, but
    they are making great progress.
        So we are trying to make sure that we try to delegate down
    to the lowest level in terms of program management and to try
    to reduce the bureaucracy in terms of reviews. That said, we
    establish metrics. We establish risk-based metrics, and we are
    going to constantly look at whether people are meeting those
    metrics or not.
        So, in general, we are trying to break the bureaucracy and
    trying to move more agile, quicker across the board.
        Senator Boozman. General Brown, quickly or the Chairman
    will yell at me, the F-15EX, why is it so important to the
    tactical fighter fleet, and what capabilities does it have that
    complement the fifth-generation fighters like the F-35?
        General Brown. The real capability of the F-15EX is the
    aspect that comes in to replace the F-15Cs. And the F-15Cs have
    really aged out. We need to retire those.
        The beauty of the F-15EX is that really about 70 to 90
    percent of the infrastructure equipment can actually--that we
    already have can be used. So it makes a very smooth transition
    to this particular capability. It will also complement because
    of the size in payload they can carry, can be a weapons truck
    is the way we kind of describe it, to provide firepower where
    we have the F-35 that actually now can penetrate more deeply,
    and the combination of those two provide things that our
    adversaries have to think about because we have several
    different options of ways we can come at them.
        Senator Boozman. Good. Thank you.
        Note, Mr. Chairman that I got done on time.
        Senator Tester. Right on the mark. Senator Baldwin.
        Senator Baldwin. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        General Raymond, given your desire for affordable access to
    space, you are well aware that we need to continue to lower the
    cost of space launch. And the Air Force Research Laboratory is
    doing some really good work in advancing the state-of-the-art
    rocket engines, particularly with regard to upper-stage
    engines. As a State that knows how to make things, Wisconsin
    has been proudly supporting these efforts.
        In that context, as we review the Space Force's fiscal year
    2022 budget, I note that rocket propulsion research and
    development is a particular area of concern. I want to ensure
    that it is adequately resourced to support domestic--stress
    ``domestic''--high-tech manufacturing in support of future
    space endeavors.
        So can I get your commitment to, number one, acquaint
    yourself with the Air Force Research Laboratory's great
    progress on the upper-stage engine development and, secondly,
    to ensure that future budgets include sufficient funding
    necessary to expand domestic capacity to manufacture the
    components that will support both our industrial base and
    affordable space launch?
        General Raymond. You absolutely have my commitment. Access
    to space is critical to our national security. Being able to do
    it responsibly is also critical, especially in a contested
    domain.
        Our launch has three--launch strategy has three components.
    One, to have assured access. Two, to increase competition. And
    three, to get off the RD-180 engine. And in all three of those
    tenets our strategy is working great, and we are in a really
    good spot.
        We are now beginning to invest in kind of the Phase 3 areas
    that you mentioned, and I am open to all comers. We want more,
    broaden the industrial base, get more research and development
    money to be able to do that, and give us opportunities in the
    future. You absolutely have my commitment.
        Senator Baldwin. Thank you.
        My next question is for the entire panel. President Biden
    announced that he will withdraw U.S. forces from Afghanistan by
    September of this year. Ultimately, while I think it was a very
    difficult decision, I think it was the right one to make.
        That said, we all know that there will be an enduring
    counterterrorism and intelligence, surveillance, and
    reconnaissance requirements. Considering this decision was made
    while the fiscal year 2022 budget request was being developed,
    where in the Air Force and Space Force budgets are these
    enduring ISR and over-the-horizon requirements reflected? And
    do either need particular attention paid to them in this year's
    appropriations cycle?
        Let us start with General Brown.
        General Brown. Senator, I appreciate the question. I will
    tell you that the capabilities that we have today that have
    been supporting United States Central Command when you talk
    about Afghanistan, but also all of our combatant commands, much
    of that capability still remains inside of the United States
    Air Force with this particular budget. Although I will tell you
    we are also making a transition to the future.
        So small levels of divestment as we start to look towards
    the future, maintaining the capability that we have been using
    today, at the same time looking forward at the capability that
    will ensure that we are able to be connected, be persistent,
    and be survivable not only in a mission environment, but in a
    highly contested environment as well.
        General Raymond. I agree.
        Secretary Roth. Yes, and so in the budget, where would you
    see it in the fiscal year 2022? Amongst other places, although
    there is no longer an overseas contingency operation budget,
    so-called OCO budget, we have within the base budget, we are
    funding both day-to-day war operations at a much lower pace,
    about $1 billion or so for the Air Force. But more importantly,
    to your point and your question, there is an enduring presence
    we still have in the CENTCOM (Central Command) AOR (Area of
    Responsibility).
        And so we have budgeted about $10 billion there. We have a
    series of air bases. They will stay for the time being. That is
    where your over-the-horizon capability will come from.
        So we have funded as best we knew in a lead time away as it
    goes. We are continuing an enduring presence in the CENTCOM AOR
    in order to provide that over-the-horizon capability.
        General Raymond. The great thing about space capabilities,
    ma'am, are they are global, and so you don't have to build
    something and just stick it over that part of the world. They
    are constantly orbiting. They provide that persistence and will
    continue to do so.
        Senator Tester. Senator Hoeven.
        Senator Hoeven. Thanks, Mr. Chairman. Appreciate it.
        Thank you, gentlemen, for being here today. Appreciate it.
        General Brown, thank you for your recent visits to both
    Minot Air Force Base and Grand Forks Air Force Base, very
    impressive. And also General Raymond, thank you for your recent
    visits to Grand Forks base and the surrounding area as well.
        Mr. Secretary, I understand that our Chairman asked you
    about the MH-139 and that you gave good answers, at least from
    our perspective. Mine is simply are you confident we can keep
    that program on schedule?
        Secretary Roth. Yes, I think so. I think, as you are aware,
    the reason there is a delay in the program is that we don't
    have the FAA certification yet. But as I understand it, we are
    on schedule. This should only mean a fairly minor delay of some
    months in the program, and it is not a show stopper.
        So our intent, we had eight aircraft that were funded
    already in fiscal year 2021. The next tranche will be funded in
    fiscal year 2023. The only reason you see a gap there in fiscal
    year 2022, that particular procurement contract was simply not
    executable in our judgment during the 12 months of fiscal year
    2022. So it was simply a shift from late in fiscal year 2022
    into early fiscal year 2023.
        Senator Hoeven. And then both LRSO (Long Range Stand Off
    Weapon) and GBSD (Ground Based Strategic Deterrent), do you
    feel they are on schedule and can stay on schedule?
        Secretary Roth. Yes. Both programs, both programs are
    meeting all their schedule and cost milestones to date.
    Admittedly, I would say--and channeling my former comptroller
    background--it is still pretty early in both programs. But they
    are doing terrific, and both programs are making heavy use of
    some of the new technologies in terms of digital engineering
    and those kinds of things.
        So both programs, we hope for the LRSO to be able to award
    the next contract this month. It is now shifting, as we speak,
    into the engineering, manufacturing, development stage, so-
    called Milestone B in our nomenclature. So they just had their
    board review, and we anticipate being able to award that
    contract this month.
        Senator Hoeven. Good. Thank you.
        General Brown, same question. As far as the B-52 and the
    reengineering, on schedule, and do you anticipate that we could
    keep it on schedule?
        General Brown. I do. We are at a point where it looks like
    really about this December we will be able to down select on
    the reengineering down to the company that will actually do the
    reengineering for the B-52.
        Senator Hoeven. Okay, good. And then also, what about
    getting a weapons generation facility going for Minot Air Force
    Base, which is the only dual nuclear base in the country as, of
    course, you well know. And again, thank you for your visit.
        General Brown. Part of our discussion when we were there at
    Minot was because of its dual capability, it will be the last
    of the three because we will learn quite a bit from the other
    two locations that we are going to do before we get to Minot.
    And because of its uniqueness, I think it is really important
    that we get this right. Not only for the others, but for Minot
    as well.
        Senator Hoeven. Well, we would like to work with your
    office to get a time for starting it.
        General Brown. Understood. Understood, Senator.
        Senator Hoeven. Thank you, General.
        General Brown. Thank you.
        Senator Hoeven. General Raymond, again thanks for your
    visit. So we are working on laser communication with satellites
    rather than radio waves. So ground to satellite, satellite to
    satellite, satellite to ISR. Why is that important, and talk to
    me about your commitment to accomplish that.
        General Raymond. Sir, Senator, the importance is
    resilience. As I mentioned in our posture statement, the domain
    has become much more contested, and our adversaries are
    developing capabilities to be able to deny or disrupt our
    access to communication satellites. This provides a layer of
    resilience that is absolutely critical. It is what we are
    focused on.
        Senator Hoeven. So we very much need those low-Earth orbit
    satellites. We need to keep moving on this to stay ahead of our
    adversaries like Russia and China, and we need to develop the
    laser communications again to stay ahead of our adversaries,
    and it is a high priority?
        General Raymond. It is a high priority, and I would say,
    Senator, we really need to develop kind of a hybrid
    architecture, and the work that we are doing to do that force
    design is a mix. Today, the design is small numbers of very
    expensive, exquisite satellites, and we have to diversify that
    architecture.
        For resilience, the low-Earth orbit piece of that is going
    to be important, as well as other orbits. But is absolutely
    critical.
        Senator Hoeven. Exactly. We need both.
        General Raymond. Yes, sir.
        Senator Hoeven. Thank you very much.
        Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        Senator Tester. Senator Murray.
        Senator Murray. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.
        Thank you, gentlemen. Really appreciate your being here.
        Secretary Roth, General Brown, let me start with you. The
    92nd and 141st Air Force air refueling wings at Fairchild Air
    Force Base are really vital to our global mobility and our
    global reach, and it is important to me that we make sure that
    these units are optimally equipped to meet their mission. I
    really support the Air Force's recent selection of Fairchild as
    a candidate location for the next KC-46 main operating base.
    They have consistently been a top-scoring installation because
    of their strategic location, their existing infrastructure, and
    their strong community support. And it is long past time to get
    them those tankers.
        But I am concerned that the proposed divestments of KC-135s
    will hurt the air refueling mission based in Washington State.
    What new missions and assets are you going to bring to
    Fairchild to continue investing in Fairchild and the community
    for the long term?
        Secretary Roth. Well, in terms of, as you said, the KC-46
    is a competitor. We are all the way up to main operating base
    number six as we are going through our strategic basing
    process. So Fairchild is a terrific candidate to receive that
    next tranche of reserve of aircraft. So that is at least a
    partial answer to your question that we would bring--you know,
    we could potentially bring KC-46.
        I would defer to the general here in terms of what other
    things.
        General Brown. And Senator, for the Air Force, we would
    also look at other mission sets as we evolve and transform and
    transition to the future of opportunities at Fairchild. Not
    only the KC-46, but other opportunities.
        Senator Murray. Okay. And if you can get me more details on
    that, I would really appreciate it.
        General Brown. Yes, ma'am.
        Senator Murray. Thank you.
        General Raymond, the space industry is really growing
    rapidly. As access to space increases and demand for space-
    based products and services is really growing, my home State of
    Washington is becoming a major hub now for launch, satellite
    engineering, education, and many other parts of the space
    community. And that growth and innovation is really important,
    both for our economy and for achieving the goals of the defense
    space strategy, but Government support is going to play an
    essential role in helping this industry through its nascent
    stages until it can reach its full potential.
        So talk with me about how the Space Force will use its
    market power to really encourage diversity and growth in the
    space industry?
        General Raymond. Well, first of all, I would agree
    wholeheartedly with you that there is incredible things going
    on in that part of the country. I have been up there personally
    several times to visit launch and satellite manufacturing. It
    is really important.
        I think if you look at the challenges that we face, the
    challenges that we face are many, but we have even greater
    opportunities, and those opportunities are those innovative
    small companies. And what we are doing to get after this is
    working a force design that allows us to diversify our
    architecture, to allow smaller satellites that are more
    operation relevant to be--to play a greater role in our
    national security architecture.
        And so we are doing that design work now. That is going to
    open up more opportunities for those types of capabilities to
    be a critical part of our path going forward, and I think there
    is great opportunity.
        Senator Murray. Good. Well, I look forward to working with
    you on that. It is really exciting.
        General Raymond. Thank you, ma'am.
        Senator Murray. Secretary Roth, across the country and in
    my home State of Washington, families are facing a real
    shortage of affordable housing. The military is supposed to
    cover housing costs as part of the servicemembers' benefits,
    but more than three-fourths of them are having to supplement
    that out of pocket right now. And of course, military moves are
    made more stressful by long on-base housing waitlists. We are
    seeing them everywhere and really competitive rental and buyers
    markets off base.
        I am hearing from military families at Fairchild, for
    example, about they are just really struggling with these
    challenges. How does the Air Force evaluate the need for
    additional on-base family housing under the Military Housing
    Privatization Initiative, and what can be done to help families
    near Fairchild with this right now?
        Secretary Roth. Well, one, the basic allowance for housing
    is reviewed annually, and we work with our Office of Secretary
    of Defense partners to do the analysis. It is locality based.
    It is not a general rate across the country, and so it is
    tailored to each individual location.
        And so the intent is that the basic allowance for housing
    cover the cost in any particular area. If it is not, if there
    is an unusual spike or something, we try to catch up as best we
    can.
        In terms of actively looking forward in the future in terms
    of any further military housing, like privatization initiative
    and that type of thing, right now it was enormously successful
    15, 20 years ago. We did a lot of progress and all, but we did
    so in part because we got an exception to the Office of
    Management and Budget scoring rules in order to allow us to
    capitalize with private money and put up a fairly modest amount
    of Government money and leverage some private money.
        Under the current rules, the Office of Management and
    Budget has fallen back now to the old rules, where they would
    require us to capitalize that up front and under a full funding
    concept pay for it up front. That gets to be very expensive. So
    for the time being, unfortunately, we are not pursuing that. We
    would have to work with the administration and the Office of
    Management and Budget to see if any further waivers were
    possible or not. But----
        Senator Murray. I would like to follow up with you----
        Secretary Roth. Sure.
        Senator Murray [continuing]. After this on that because
    this is really a critical problem for our families, and I am
    worried about the stress it is putting on them. And it is just
    not tenable at this point.
        And I know I am out of time, Mr. Chairman. I did just want
    to mention childcare to all of you. The waitlists are really
    long, and we are hearing from everyone that this is just really
    a stark reminder that we need to deal with this.
        I don't have time for a question right now. I will follow
    up with all of you, but I have not lost interest on this. And
    Mr. Chairman, it is a huge problem for our military families.
        Senator Tester. Thank you, Senator Murray.
        Senator Durbin.
        Senator Durbin. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        General Raymond, I was a skeptic when it came to the
    creation of the Space Force. I listened to critics argue that
    it was a new bureaucracy that would be top heavy, a pile of
    brass and not much underneath, and that it wasn't needed. I
    never questioned the role of space in terms of our own defense
    and the critical achievements which we can point to over the
    last few years.
        So you are the man in transition from the old way to the
    new way. How has it changed?
        General Raymond. It has changed significantly, and I will
    tell you it is quantifiable. When you elevate from a major
    command of an Air Force to a service chief, your level of
    authority and responsibility goes way up. I have a stronger
    role and requirements. I am a member of the Joint Chiefs, so I
    can make sure that space is integrated into the joint
    warfighting construct.
        We interact more effectively with our allies and partners
    at the service level. In fact, with Norway, we just inked a
    deal where it saved us $900 million to put two hosted payloads
    on their satellites rather than our own satellites.
        The development of our space professionals has gone through
    the roof. Promotion rates before were 20 percent below the Air
    Force average for colonels, and lieutenant colonels about that
    same number. Today, we are above that average. We have got more
    people knocking on our door wanting to come into the Space
    Force than we have positions for. We can be very selective of
    who we bring in.
        Across the board, we have seen measurable, quantifiable
    increases that is great for our Nation.
        Senator Durbin. So, General Brown, when you hear that, does
    it give you any kind of pause or inspiration for the rest of
    the Air Force in terms of what has happened with Space Force?
        General Brown. It does. And one of the key areas that I see
    is because of the elevation of Space Force, it actually has
    brought in more I would say collaboration between the Air Force
    and the Space Force across our airmen and our guardians because
    of the dialogue that happens at a much lower level on how we
    talk about space capabilities. And so there are some real
    pluses there.
        The other part is now that we have someone who is really
    focused on that domain. A year and a half ago, 2 years ago, my
    predecessor would have been responsible for both. Now you have
    someone who is focused on a new domain, and it allows the both
    of us to really work very closely together on how we use those
    future capabilities and align those capabilities between our
    two services.
        Senator Durbin. Secretary Roth, are there any changes in
    procurement or acquisition with the Space Force that you are
    considering or have implemented?
        Secretary Roth. Well, first of all, the Space Force is
    another one that is making maximum use of some of the new
    authorities we have in terms of using things like digital
    engineering and being more agile and the like. So I would have
    to say that the Space Force is out and leading on that as well.
        What is going to happen eventually on 1 October 2022, or at
    least no later than 1 October 2022, is the Space Force will
    have their own service acquisition executive. Right now, we
    have one service acquisition executive for both the air and
    space side, but under the Authorization Act of a year or two
    ago, we have to stand up a separate office, an Assistant
    Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition and
    Integration. But space acquisition here to the point.
        So I would think here, too, very similarly you have someone
    then who will be focused on space acquisition and won't be
    ``distracted'' by other functions as well.
        General Raymond. Could I add in, sir? I just want to say
    very clearly that we would not be anywhere near where we are
    today without the great support of General Brown and the Air
    Force.
        Now when the law was passed that established the Space
    Force, it said to focus on space superiority and rely on the
    Air Force for the support pieces. They provide us spectacular
    support. As we have built this, they have really been a huge
    partner.
        Senator Durbin. Secretary Roth, different subject. Our
    modern military has really been grounded on civilian control
    and the separation of men and women in uniform from political
    influence. What are you doing to make sure that the next
    generation serving in the Air Force lives up to that model?
        Secretary Roth. Well, I think the short answer to it is by
    leadership and making sure that the Secretariat does, in fact,
    use its authority and its influence as we go forward. Clearly,
    I think that is--you know, we are in a period of transition now
    from one administration to the other, so it is a bit of an
    uncertain time until we fill all the positions.
        And so the imperative will be to get a full team of
    political appointees in place and then to move forward under
    the guise of ensuring military--excuse me, civilian oversight
    over the military. I work very closely with both of the chiefs.
    I value their opinion and all. But at the end of the day, the
    Secretariat is, in fact, the leadership position within the
    Department of the Air Force.
        Senator Durbin. Thank you.
        General Brown, in closing, I just want to commend you for
    statements that you have made on diversity and race relations
    in the military. I am sure that there are many stories that
    have gone untold that you could fill us with, fill in with some
    of your experiences. But thank you for reaching the top of your
    profession. I am glad you are there, and thanks for the example
    and model you set.
        Senator Tester. Thank you, Senator Durbin.
        We appreciate you folks being here today. We appreciate the
    testimony you have given today, and we appreciate the job that
    you do every day. So thank you. I thank the witnesses.

                         ADDITIONAL COMMITTEE QUESTIONS

        Senators may submit additional written questions, and we
    ask you to respond to them within a reasonable amount of time.
        [The following questions were not asked at the hearing, but
    were submitted to the Department for response subsequent to the
    hearing:]
              Questions Submitted to Acting Secretary John P. Roth
                Questions Submitted by Senator Richard J. Durbin
                      tactical airlift aircraft requestors
        Question. I have been concerned about Air Force reductions in
    Tactical Airlift Aircraft inventory. The fiscal year 2022 Budget
    Request divests 8 C-130H aircraft, without funding for any new C-130Js,
    which would bring the total tactical airlift fleet down to 279
    aircraft. This is despite the fact that the fiscal year 2021 NDAA
    requires a minimum inventory of 287 aircraft, and the most recent
    mobility capabilities and requirements study recommended at least 300
    such aircraft to meet National Defense Strategy requirements. These
    cuts may disproportionately impact the Air National Guard, which
    provides half of the Air Force's tactical and mobility airlift while
    also supporting a number of critical domestic priorities--COVID-19,
    civil unrest, and natural disaster response. The 182nd Airlift Wing in
    my home state for example, has a strong history of outstanding
    performance, including among the highest mission capability rates in
    the Air National Guard over the past 10 years.
        What would such a reduction have on the Air Force's ability to
    conduct overseas operations?
        Answer. The proposed reduction in aircraft would have no
    significant impact on the Air Force's ability to conduct overseas
    operations. We continue to carefully analyze our tactical airlift fleet
    size and posture to ensure the nation's needs are met, and that this
    fleet does not take on a level of risk that is out of line with the
    other fleets in our Air Force. With a total tactical airlift aircraft
    inventory of 255, we believe 163 C-130Js and 92 C-130Hs, supported by
    222 C-17s, are capable of executing the required level of tactical
    lift.
        Question. Have any decisions been made about where such cuts may
    take place?
        Answer. These decisions are ongoing. Over the next few years the
    Air Force goal is to reduce the C-130 fleet to 255 aircraft, contingent
    on our ability to find mutually agreeable replacement missions for any
    C-130 unit we would remission.
        Retaining additional aircraft that are not required to compete and
    win in the future fight diverts limited resources from higher priority
    National Defense Strategy focused recapitalization and modernization
    efforts across the Air Force enterprise, weakening our military's
    competitive advantage. Incremental reduction of the fleet will allow
    the Air Force to refocus personnel and resources toward emerging
    mission requirements.
        Question. For the past several years you have heard me and others
    ring the alarm about water contamination caused by PFAS chemicals in
    firefighting foam. This public health crisis also hit home for me. The
    Air Force has been working with communities around Scott Air Force Base
    in Southern Illinois where PFAS chemicals leeched into a drinking water
    well, and I understand testing continues around the Peoria and
    Springfield Air National Guard Bases. As you all know, these substances
    can have a devastating impact on health, and the process is absolutely
    nerve racking for my constituents.
        How much does the Air Force need in fiscal year 2022 to accelerate
    the process of investigation and cleanup of PFAS across the country?
        Answer. The DAF could execute an additional $49 million in fiscal
    year 2022 to accelerate investigations and cleanup of PFAS.
                                     ______

                Questions Submitted by Senator Dianne Feinstein
                      space training and readiness command
        Question. California is at the center of commercial and military
    space applications. I was pleased to hear Space Systems Command will be
    established at Los Angeles Air Force Base. I believe the Space Force
    should leverage the existing personnel, expertise, and infrastructure
    available at Vandenberg Space Force Base and the surrounding community
    for the Space Training and Readiness Command.
        What factors is the Air Force considering as part of its decision
    in locating Space Training and Readiness Command?
        Answer. Pending Secretary of the Air Force approval, criteria will
    consist of mission, capacity, environmental, and cost factors. The
    Department of the Air Force will also comply with the guidance in 10
    USC 483 and the fiscal year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act
    Sec. 2883.
        Question. When do you expect that decision to be made?
        Answer. We anticipate Department of the Air Force approval of the
    criteria in the first quarter of fiscal year 2022.
                                     ______

                  Questions Submitted by Senator Patty Murray
                         fairchild afb future missions
        Question. [full context provided on p. 40-41 of the transcript]
        What new missions and assets are you going to bring to Fairchild
    AFB to continue investing in Fairchild AFB and the community for the
    long-term? Not only for the KC-46, but other opportunities?
        Answer. The Department of the Air Forces uses its strategic basing
    process to determine locations for new missions. The DAF will continue
    to consider Fairchild Air Force Base for new missions, dependent on
    mission requirements and where it meets the enterprise definition of
    locations eligible for consideration.
                                     ______

                  Questions Submitted by Senator Brian Schatz
                   federal clean energy electricity standard
        Question. [full context provided on p. 29-30 of the transcript]
        The president issued an executive order establishing a Federal
    clean energy standard, electricity standard. It requires all government
    agencies, including DoD to use their procurement authority to help move
    the country towards a carbon free electricity sector by 2035. So, can
    you talk to me about how you're using your procurement authority to
    comply with the president's executive order? Is there anything you've
    changed? I'd ask you take another look at: ``We've got these
    authorities, the president is asking us to use those in our daily
    procurement of energy,'' and I think that part hasn't quite yet
    happened. Do you agree with that or you think I'm getting that wrong?
        Answer. The Department of the Air Force (DAF) is using all
    available authorities in the process of procuring a full spectrum of
    cleaner energy project types. These projects improve our energy posture
    and empower mission assurance as a critical distributed energy
    generation source. To expand this procurement of clean energy and the
    development of energy projects, we are reviewing project execution
    rates within its installation energy governance structure. The
    Department is also developing Installation Energy Plans to identify
    potential opportunities and use all available authorities to develop
    clean energy projects.
        In fiscal year 2020, DAF on-base renewable energy production was
    488,136 MWh, including owned and third party owned projects located on
    Department lands. The DAF continues to utilize authorities provided by
    Congress, such as Enhanced Use Leases (EULs), to leverage underutilized
    properties where private developers can construct clean energy systems.
    In return, the DAF receives a financial benefit, such as reduced energy
    rates or other in-kind considerations.
        The DAF is primarily using third party financed performance
    contracts, such as Energy Savings Performance Contracts (ESPCs); ESPCs
    provide the Federal Government with a partnership opportunity to
    procure energy savings and facility improvements with no up-front
    capital costs.
        The Department is also pursuing a wide range of solar and battery
    storage projects using performance contracts and Power Purchase
    Agreements (PPAs) initiatives to enhance energy assurance and
    resiliency at mission critical installations. At the end of fiscal year
    2020, the DAF had 327 renewable energy projects in operation on 105
    sites through a variety of project delivery methods, including PPA,
    EULs, Energy Resilience Conservation Investment Program (ERCIP), and
    Military Construction (MILCON).
                                     ______

                    Questions Submitted by Senator Roy Blunt
                               the role of c-130s
        Question. Secretary Roth and General Brown, I would like to note my
    continued concerns about the Air Force's proposed reductions of C-130
    Total Aircraft Inventory.
        My understanding is that Air Force seeks to cut five flying
    squadrons as part of an effort to reduce the number of C-130s to
    approximately 255 planes over the next 5 years, with the majority of
    reduction coming from the Air National Guard.
        I know a number of Senators, including many members of this
    committee, have articulated the detrimental impact of reducing our
    national airlift capacity.
        Furthermore, the targeted reduction of Air National Guard C-130s
    would make it difficult--if not impossible--for the Guard to support
    routine training missions, as well as domestic operations to respond to
    emergencies and disasters.
        If any proposed reductions come from within the Guard C-130 force
    structure, there will be a significant loss of domestic operations
    capabilities. As we have seen over the last several years, those
    domestic requirements are not letting up.
        Please provide your perspective on the breadth and depth regarding
    the role our C- 130s play in supporting the requirements of domestic
    operations.
        Answer. The Department of the Air Force agrees that tactical
    airlift is an integral homeland defense mission. Every state has
    tactical airlift capacity and there are procedures in place for states
    to share resources. In addition to the C-130s in the ANG, there are six
    states unit equipped with 48 C-17s to support Defense Support to Civil
    Authorities missions. By looking at this fleet in isolation--in
    isolation from other Air Force missions, or in isolation from the
    remainder of our airlift fleet--we would fail to appreciate the balance
    the Air Force needs to strike between capability, capacity, readiness,
    and modernization across all of our missions.
        the future c-130 force structure and the 139th airlift wing at
                       rosecrans air national guard base
        Question. Secretary Roth and General Brown, while the Air Force and
    Air National Guard have indicated that there will be no reduction of C-
    130H aircraft at the 139th Airlift Wing at Rosecrans Air National Guard
    Base, I expressed in a letter last month to you, General Brown, and to
    Lieutenant General Michael Loh, my concerns should any optional course
    of action be considered.
        As you know, the 139th Airlift Wing supports both the C-130 Weapons
    Instructor Course and the Advanced Airlift Tactics Training Center. The
    Air National Guard acknowledged that two C-130s at Rosecrans supporting
    the Weapons Instructor Course mission were improperly coded as Backup
    Aircraft Inventory. If the 139th were to lose one of these aircraft, it
    would lose its ability to conduct these unique and necessary training
    missions that support the broader Air Force enterprise.
        I would appreciate your commitment to ensuring the Air National
    Guard correctly recodes these aircraft, and confirming your commitment
    to preserving the vital mission of the 139th Air Wing mission.
        Answer. We are committed to preserving the mission of the 139
    Airlift Wing (AW) and I assure you aircraft coding is consistent across
    units which host Weapons Instructor Course (WIC) missions. We recognize
    the challenges the 139 AW faces as host to the C-130H WIC and Advanced
    Airlift Tactics Training Center. The 139 AW has the appropriate
    resources to execute these missions while continuing to perform its
    operational mission and meet the training needs of assigned aircrew.
                                     ______

                   Questions Submitted by Senator John Hoeven
                         mh-139 procurement requestors
        Question. Your budget request does not include procurement of any
    MH-139 Grey Wolf helicopters, which are slated to replace the Vietnam-
    era Hueys at our ICBM bases. I understand that procurement has been
    pushed back due to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification
    issues.
        Given the delay, how many MH-139s do you project to purchase in
    fiscal years 2023 and 2024?
        Answer. Fiscal year 2023 and fiscal year 2024 quantities are still
    under review. The MH-139 contract allows for a quantity range of 2 to
    16 aircraft per fiscal year.
        Question. When should we expect to procure MH-139s that will be
    based at Minot Air Force Base (AFB)?
        Answer. The Minot basing options will depend on an updated buy
    profile which is currently being developed.
        Question. When will MH-139 aircraft arrive at Minot AFB?
        Answer. The Minot basing options will depend on an updated buy
    profile which is currently being developed.
                                     ______

              Questions Submitted to General Charles Q. Brown, Jr.
                   Questions Submitted by Senator Jon Tester
                      air national guard flying squadrons
        Question. [full context provided on p. 21 of the transcript]
        How many [Air] National Guard squadrons are going to lose flying
    missions in this [fiscal year 2022] budget?
        Answer. We are not intending to close any units and are carefully
    evaluating several future missions in which the Air Force needs to
    bring on. Most units will retain a flying mission, but not all. Some
    squadrons will experience a one-for-one replacement of flying missions
    (KC-10, KC-135, F-15C), some will be replaced with a mixture of flying
    and non-flying missions (A-10, E-8), and some flying missions are going
    away and will be replaced with a non-flying mission (C-130). As we
    continue to invest in our future force, it is imperative that Air Force
    manpower be appropriately aligned with new, higher priority, missions
    or the Air Force cannot modernize against the emerging threat.
                                     ______

                Questions Submitted by Senator Richard J. Durbin
                      tactical airlift aircraft requestors
        Question. I have been concerned about Air Force reductions in
    Tactical Airlift Aircraft inventory. The fiscal year 2022 Budget
    Request divests 8 C-130H aircraft, without funding for any new C-130Js,
    which would bring the total tactical airlift fleet down to 279
    aircraft. This is despite the fact that the fiscal year 2021 NDAA
    requires a minimum inventory of 287 aircraft, and the most recent
    mobility capabilities and requirements study recommended at least 300
    such aircraft to meet National Defense Strategy requirements. These
    cuts may disproportionately impact the Air National Guard, which
    provides half of the Air Force's tactical and mobility airlift while
    also supporting a number of critical domestic priorities--COVID-19,
    civil unrest, and natural disaster response. The 182nd Airlift Wing in
    my home state for example, has a strong history of outstanding
    performance, including among the highest mission capability rates in
    the Air National Guard over the past 10 years.
        What would such a reduction have on the Air Force's ability to
    conduct overseas operations?
        Answer. The proposed reduction in aircraft would have no
    significant impact on the Air Force's ability to conduct overseas
    operations. We continue to carefully analyze our tactical airlift fleet
    size and posture to ensure the nation's needs are met, and that this
    fleet does not take on a level of risk that is out of line with the
    other fleets in our Air Force. With a total tactical airlift aircraft
    inventory of 255, we believe 163 C-130Js and 92 C-130Hs, supported by
    222 C-17s, are capable of executing the required level of tactical
    lift.
        Question. Have any decisions been made about where such cuts may
    take place?
        Answer. These decisions are ongoing. Over the next few years the
    Air Force goal is to reduce the C-130 fleet to 255 aircraft, contingent
    on our ability to find mutually agreeable replacement missions for any
    C-130 unit we would remission.
        Retaining additional aircraft that are not required to compete and
    win in the future fight diverts limited resources from higher priority
    National Defense Strategy focused recapitalization and modernization
    efforts across the Air Force enterprise, weakening our military's
    competitive advantage. Incremental reduction of the fleet will allow
    the Air Force to refocus personnel and resources toward emerging
    mission requirements.
                            f-15 upgrades requestors
        Question. The fiscal year 2022 Air Force budget request includes
    funding for 12 F-15EX aircraft, and the Unfunded Priorities List
    includes a funding request for an additional 12 F-15EX aircraft. The
    request also includes a divestment of 48 F-15C/Ds. The F-15C/D fleet is
    aging, with high sustainment costs, and many of these aircraft are
    expected to run out of service life within the next decade.
        Can you explain why it's faster, cheaper, and more critical to
    upgrade to these new F- 15s instead of investing in other aircraft?
        Answer. With a majority of the F-15C fleet flying beyond designed
    service life, it is critical that we recapitalize units with modern
    fighters as quickly as possible. The F-15EX was developed from a
    provided design, with significantly upgraded systems, using funds from
    Foreign Military Sales customers. The purchase of these aircraft
    offered the Air Force an opportunity to augment F-35 purchases and
    quickly recapitalize these units.
                                     ______

                  Questions Submitted by Senator Patrick Leahy
                        air force readiness improvements
        Question. Given the administration's priority of taking care of our
    people, and the important role that unit cohesion plays in improving
    readiness, it is crucial that the Air Force take a fresh look at
    policies and practices that may not support all service members. To
    that end, please outline what changes, if any, the Air Force has made,
    is making, plans to make, or is considering in order to:
        Improve diversity in leadership positions;
        Answer. To improve diversity in leadership positions, the
    Department of the Air Force has taken a holistic review of potential
    barriers to development and inclusion. Adjustments have been made to
    uniform and appearance policies and several adjustments have been made
    to help improve deliberate development of diverse leaders. One such
    area was the DAF establishment of diversity requirements for Key
    Developmental Slates. The purpose of this initiative is to promote
    greater opportunity and consideration among qualified candidates, who
    offer diverse perspectives and represent diverse backgrounds and
    experience. This initiative will require that the pool of Airmen
    considered for key military developmental positions and nominative
    assignments (e.g. Aide-de-Camp, Military Assistant, Executive Officer,
    Career Field Manager, Senior Enlisted Advisor, Commander's Action Group
    member) include qualified, diverse candidates based on gender, race
    and/or ethnicity.
        Question. Improve diversity retention at all levels;
        Answer. To assist with improving diversity retention the Department
    of the Air Force has identified and began removing disparate policies,
    procedures, barriers and other cultural practices that may be unfairly
    impacting the retention of Airmen and Guardians. These changes include
    revisions to dress and appearance regulations, expanding child/career
    balancing options such as deferring the decision to separate 12 months
    post birth, expanding parental leave, and continued utilization of the
    Career Intermission Program (CIP). Since CIPs establishment in 2014, 54
    percent of all participants have been female and 99 percent of the
    Airmen who completed the program have returned to service. The
    Department of the Air Force acknowledges that diverse, resilient, and
    ready Airmen and Guardians (both military and civilian) are the core of
    the Department's present and future readiness and lethality.
        Question. Improve trainings, including sexual assault prevention,
    with input from women, LGBTQ service members, BIPOC service members,
    and sexual assault survivors;
        Answer. The Department of the Air Force is committed to improving
    training that improves the lives all of our diverse Airmen and
    Guardians while promoting a sense of belonging to the DAF. The DAF is
    working hard to ensure our training is evidenced based and includes
    considerations of and input from many vulnerable populations including
    women, LGBTQ service members, BIPOC service members, and both male and
    female sexual assault survivors. We are working closely with the DoD
    Independent Review Commission on Sexual Assault in the Military and the
    DAF Interpersonal Violence Taskforce; and we have developed a
    prevention plan of action to improve prevention efforts that provide a
    foundation for concrete actions to address interpersonal and self-
    directed violence. We are committed to providing a respectful,
    inclusive environment for all Airmen and Guardians, and taking all
    appropriate steps to improve.
        Question. Increase availability and accessibility of mental health
    support services for Service members and their families, including
    services tailored specifically toward minority service members;
        Answer. To maximize the availability of our mental health services,
    the Department of the Air Force (DAF) has sought to create mental
    health clinic workflows to match patient needs and increase
    efficiencies. Through the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown period, the DAF
    expanded its tele-mental health services 3600 percent compared to 2019.
    As a result, the DAF mental health enterprise was able to sustain 90
    percent of its 2019 care operations levels during this period.
        Furthermore, in order to improve readiness and support of Airmen
    who are minority service members, the Air Force Surgeon General
    established an Office of Diversity and Inclusion. This office is
    actively working with the Defense Health Agency to evaluate and
    intentionally address any identified disparities in healthcare
    delivery.
        Question. Improve outreach to and support for minority service
    members facing discrimination from within their units; and
        Answer. The Department of the Air Force continues to evaluate and
    refine the Out and About outreach program used to gather equal
    opportunity and human relations information that may impact service
    members.
        The Installation Equal Opportunity Director is responsible for
    scheduling Out and About Assessments in coordination with unit
    leadership and ensures unit leadership receives a summary of
    observations following the assess. Observations and discussions focus
    on EO, human relations and organizational effectiveness factors that
    impact morale and mission readiness to include, but are not limited to:
    Interpersonal communication/interaction/polarization (break rooms, work
    areas, recreation/entertainment facilities, etc.); Accessibility to
    unit leadership; Bulletin board and public display items (individual/
    group recognition, policy letters/posters, etc.); Workplace conditions/
    environment; Dormitory conditions/environment; Graffiti; Personal
    display of pictures, posters, artifacts, etc.; and overall general
    impressions. Information gathered throughout the assessment is used as
    part of the overall Organizational Climate Assessment Program.
        Question. Improve medical care for transgender service members,
    women, and Black parents, particularly for transition care, pregnancy,
    and post-partum care.
        Answer. In order to improve readiness and support of Airmen, the
    DAF established a Transgender Health Medical Evaluation Unit (THMEU) at
    Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. The THMEU operates under a patient-
    centered care model that ensures compliance with Department of Defense
    (DoD), DAF, and Defense Health Agency policies and transgender
    healthcare clinical guidelines, regardless of where patients are
    located.
        In addition to the THMEU, the Air Force Surgeon General established
    an Office of Diversity and Inclusion Office to improve readiness and
    support of Airmen who are minority service members. This office is also
    working with the Defense Health Agency to evaluate and intentionally
    address disparities in healthcare delivery, which would include
    pregnancy and postpartum care.
        On top of these efforts, the DAF is also focused on improving the
    pregnancy and postpartum care provided to Airmen, particularly with a
    focus on return to duty and readiness. For example, Air Force
    Instruction on Duty Limiting Conditions (48-133) was updated to allow
    fitness assessment exemptions following perinatal loss (miscarriage and
    stillbirth). A parallel update regarding convalescent leave after such
    losses is currently pending revisions to Air Force Manual on Tricare
    Operations and Patient Administration (41-210). Additionally, updates
    were made to breast feeding policies (AFGM2020-36-01) to improve Airmen
    and Guardians access to breast pumping resources and milk storage, as
    well as increase flexibility in scheduling pumping time during the duty
    day.
        Furthermore, in order to better address the needs of Airmen
    following pregnancy and birth of a newborn, the DAF is working on a
    multidisciplinary approach to comprehensive postpartum care and
    reintegration. At select locations (currently Nellis AFB, expanding to
    Seymour Johnson AFB and Joint Base Langley-Eustis), DAF Units are
    piloting a program facilitating comprehensive Airmen and Guardian
    fitness during pregnancy and in postpartum. This program includes
    fitness classes, lactation support, mental health, wellness screening
    and access to services such as physical therapy and nutrition.
        In addition to the efforts mentioned above, the Air Force Medical
    Service and the Defense Health Agency are working together on
    implementing the latest evidence-based perinatal care services at
    military treatment facilities. Across the Military Health System,
    postpartum bleeding procedures were established to improve maternal and
    neonatal outcomes. New guidance was also developed to standardize
    ultrasound examinations to improve the identification of abnormal
    findings. Moreover, a Defense Health Agency review board was
    established to review cases of severe maternal harm in order to
    identify areas of improvement. Finally, a working group was established
    to identify and address any racial disparities in obstetric outcomes,
    unconscious bias education, and cultural competency in maternity care.
                                     ______

                   Questions Submitted by Senator John Hoeven
                          rq-4 global hawk requestors
        Question. The budget request proposes to divest the Block 30
    version of the Global Hawk but continues to fund operations for the
    Block 40 version.
        Do you forecast operating the Block 40 Global Hawk throughout the
    five year budget window?
        Answer. Yes, upon retirement of 20 RQ-4 Block 30s in fiscal year
    2022, the Air Force plans to operate and sustain the remaining 10 RQ-4
    Block 40s through the fiscal year 2021 FYDP (fiscal year 2021-fiscal
    year 2026).
                     minot afb weapons generation facility
        Question. [full context provided on p. 38-39 of the transcript]
        When will Minot AFB Weapons Generation Facility construction start?
        Answer. While we can't commit to a specific year when we will
    request funding, the AF is committed to replace the Weapons Storage
    Area (WSA) at Minot with a Weapons Generation Facility (WGF). Since the
    weapons generation facilities are new designs that incorporate current
    safety and surety standards, they are complex structures. Minot's is
    even more complex because it will house assets for multiple weapon
    systems--both for missiles and assigned bombers. We are learning
    valuable lessons from the two facilities currently awarded, which will
    help us design and build the more complex facility at Minot
    effectively. These lessons learned will incorporate cost effectiveness
    in the Minot WGF.
                                     ______

                 Questions Submitted to General John W. Raymond
                  Questions Submitted by Senator Patrick Leahy
                       space force readiness improvements
        Question. Given the administration's priority of taking care of our
    people, and the important role that unit cohesion plays in improving
    readiness, it is crucial that the [Space] Force take a fresh look at
    policies and practices that may not support all service members. To
    that end, please outline what changes, if any, the [Space] Force has
    made, is making, plans to make, or is considering in order to:
        Improve diversity in leadership positions;
        Answer. To improve diversity in leadership positions, the United
    States Space Force (USSF) is taking intentional steps in the following
    areas:
      --Leveraging the platform of Selection Boards to increase diverse
            representation, including:
        --Senior Enlisted Leader Development Teams (SEL DT) for Command
                Chief Boards (CCB)
        --Development Teams for Squadron Command and Director of Operations
                Boards
        --Command Screening Boards for Delta and Garrison Command positions
        These efforts have begun to yield positive results such as 75
            percent of the new Chiefs from the SEL DT and 32 percent of the
            new Commanders from the CSB are of diverse representation.
      --Increasing diversity and inclusion acumen among USSF leadership
            through education improving diversity and enhancing team
            performance skills. Current courses include:
        --Pre-Command Course
        --Squadron Command Course
        --Senior Leadership Officer Course
      --Expanding Project Aristotle across the Force rather than for just
            one targeted Guardian population.'' Project Aristotle is a
            homegrown USSF program that has two distinct goals: (1) Match
            USSF General Officers (Development Coaches) with every O-6
            Guardians (Mentees) to grow USSF senior leaders into strategic
            leaders that can lead brilliantly across a dynamic
            environment--deliberately focusing on human and soft skills
            growth; (2) Assist with placement of an extremely capable and
            diverse O-6 candidate pool into the right USSF assignment at
            the right time. Currently, all of my O-6 and O-6 (Select)
            Guardians are matched with a general officer. Moving forward,
            the USSF plans to expand the program more broadly across the
            force.
      --Revising the entire O-6 management process to handle the
            development and assignment of each officer individually.
        Question. Improve diversity retention at all levels;
        Answer. The United States Space Force is fostering a culture that
    is resilient and inclusive. Through the integration of evidence-based
    best practices and benchmarks, we aim to create a work environment that
    is cohesive and collaborative. The following have been implemented:
      --Recently signed policy to establish diverse pool for candidates on
            non-statutory boards. This initiative develops our Guardians,
            enhances retention, and serve as a developmental experience
            helping prepare members for future Senior Leadership
            opportunities.
      --Space Force Chief Human Capital Officer co-leads the Department of
            the Air Force Barrier Analysis Working Groups, alongside the
            Air Force's Office of Diversity and Inclusion (SAF/ODI) and
            Manpower, Personnel and Services (AF/A1). These senior leaders
            provide oversight of various affinity groups to include but not
            limited to the Women's Initiative Team, Hispanic Empowerment
            Action Team and the Black Employment Strategic Team. These
            groups provide an environment conducive to networking,
            enhancing belonging, and raising concerns or issues affecting
            these populations to Senior Departmental leadership for
            awareness, guidance, and actions.
      --Initiated formal intern programs, expanding access to new talent,
            supporting Space Force's contributions to National Defense,
            while growing Space-related competencies and retaining diverse
            talent. Two programs being used are:
        --Premier College Intern Program. These interns are college majors
                in Computer Science, Cyber, and Information Systems
                programs.
        --Arnold Air Society and Silver Wings Intern Program, which
                provides Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) cadets the
                opportunity to conduct their summer intern program within
                USSF. The objective is to allow access to the cadets to
                learn new skills and increase their knowledge on the space
                mission and contributions to National Defense.
      --Executed Space Force's first-ever Sword Athena titled ``Women In
            Space.'' Sword Athena provides female Guardians a professional
            development forum and networking mechanism. It was deliberately
            designed to inform, inspire and motivate Guardians.
      --Partnered with Air Force Recruiting Service (AFRS) to establish a
            dedicated cadre of recruiters to conduct targeted Guardian
            recruitment in underrepresented communities. These dedicated
            recruiters will brand the USSF, while educating and informing
            potential applicants, influencers, and civic leaders about the
            benefits of becoming a Guardian, and why the USSF should be
            considered a premium career choice.
      --Established the University Partnership Program (UPP), promoting
            diversity through partnerships with diverse institutions,
            including Historical Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)
            and Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs). Under UPP, the USSF
            will provide educational scholarships and commissioning
            opportunities to underrepresented members attending select
            universities. Additionally, the USSF is establishing Junior
            Reserve Officer Training Corps units at selected high schools
            to seed opportunities in underrepresented communities.
      --Focused Space Force military and civilian recruitment initiatives
            on expanding the pool of potential STEM applicants from a
            diverse cross-section of our nation by leveraging partnerships
            with academia, industry, and other government agencies that
            promote and provide opportunities for underrepresented groups
            to pursue science and technology-focused degrees and career
            opportunities.
        Question. Improve trainings, including sexual assault prevention,
    with input from women, LGBTQ service members, BIPOC service members,
    and sexual assault survivors;
        Answer. The Space Force is committed to improving training that
    improves the lives all of our diverse Airmen and Guardians while
    promoting a sense of belonging to the Space Force. The Space Force is
    working hard to ensure our training is evidenced based and includes
    considerations of and input from many vulnerable populations including
    women, LGBTQ service members, BIPOC service members, and both male and
    female sexual assault survivors. We are working closely with the DoD
    Independent Review Commission on Sexual Assault in the Military and the
    Interpersonal Violence Taskforce; and we have developed a prevention
    plan of action to improve prevention efforts that provide a foundation
    for concrete actions to address interpersonal and self-directed
    violence. We are committed to providing a respectful, inclusive
    environment for all Airmen and Guardians, and taking all appropriate
    steps to improve.
        Question. Increase availability and accessibility of mental health
    support services for Service members and their families, including
    services tailored specifically toward minority service members;
        Answer. To maximize the availability of our mental health services,
    the Department of the Air Force (DAF) has sought to create mental
    health clinic workflows to match patient needs and increase
    efficiencies. Through the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown period, the DAF
    expanded its tele-mental health services 3600 percent compared to 2019.
    The DAF mental health enterprise was able to sustain 90 percent of its
    2019 care operations levels during this period.
        Furthermore, in order to improve readiness and support of
    Guardians, the Air Force Surgeon General established an Office of
    Diversity and Inclusion. This office is actively working with the
    Defense Health Agency to evaluate and intentionally seek to correct
    disparities in healthcare delivery.
        Question. Improve outreach to and support for minority service
    members facing discrimination from within their units; and
        Answer. The Space Force continues to evaluate and refine the Out
    and About outreach program used to gather equal opportunity and human
    relations information that may impact service members.
        The Installation Equal Opportunity Director is responsible for
    scheduling Out and About Assessments in coordination with unit
    leadership and ensures unit leadership receives a summary of
    observations following the assessments. Observations and discussions
    focus on EO, human relations and organizational effectiveness factors
    that impact morale and mission readiness to include, but are not
    limited to: Interpersonal communication/interaction/polarization (break
    rooms, work areas, recreation/entertainment facilities, etc.);
    Accessibility to unit leadership; Bulletin board and public display
    items (individual/group recognition, policy letters/posters, etc.);
    Workplace conditions/environment; Dormitory conditions/environment;
    Graffiti; Personal display of pictures, posters, artifacts, etc.; and
    overall general impressions. Information gathered throughout the
    assessment is used as part of the overall Organizational Climate
    Assessment Program.
        Question. Improve medical care for transgender service members,
    women, and Black parents, particularly for transition care, pregnancy,
    and post-partum care.
        Answer. In order to improve readiness and support of Guardians, the
    DAF established a Transgender Health Medical Evaluation Unit (THMEU) at
    Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. The THMEU operates under a patient-
    centered care model that ensures compliance with Department of Defense
    (DoD), DAF, and Defense Health Agency policies and transgender
    healthcare clinical guidelines, regardless of where the Guardian is
    assigned.
        In addition to the THMEU, the Department of the Air Force Surgeon
    General established an Office of Diversity and Inclusion Office to
    improve readiness and support of Guardians who are minority service
    members. This office is also working with the DHA to evaluate and
    intentionally address disparities in healthcare delivery, which would
    include pregnancy and postpartum care.
        On top of these efforts, the DAF is also focused on improving the
    pregnancy and postpartum care provided to Guardians, particularly with
    a focus on return to duty and readiness. For example, Air Force
    Instruction on Duty Limiting Conditions (48-133) was updated to allow
    fitness assessment exemptions following perinatal loss (miscarriage and
    stillbirth). A parallel update regarding convalescent leave after such
    losses is currently pending revisions to Air Force Manual on Tricare
    Operations and Patient Administration (41-210). Additionally, updates
    were made to breast feeding policies (AFGM2020-36-01) to improve
    Guardians' access to breast pumping resources and milk storage, as well
    as increase flexibility in scheduling pumping time during the duty day.

                              SUBCOMMITTEE RECESS

        Senator Tester. Next week, the full Appropriations
    Committee will hear testimony from the Secretary of Defense and
    Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. That will be on June
    17th at 10 a.m.
        This Defense Subcommittee will reconvene on Tuesday, June
    22 at 10 a.m. to hear from the Army leadership on the fiscal
    year 2022 Army budget request.
        And with that, this committee stands in recess.
        [Whereupon, at 3:31 p.m., Tuesday, June 8, the subcommittee
    was recessed, to reconvene at 10 a.m., Tuesday, June 22.]

           DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022

                                  ----------

                             TUESDAY, JUNE 22, 2021

                                           U.S. Senate,
               Subcommittee of the Committee on Appropriations,
                                                        Washington, DC.
        The subcommittee met at 10 a.m., in room 192, Dirksen
    Senate Office Building, Hon. Jon Tester (chairman) presiding.
        Present: Senators Tester, Leahy, Baldwin, Shaheen, Shelby,
    Murkowski, Blunt, Moran, Hoeven, and Boozman.

                             DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

                             Department of the Army

                            Office of the Secretary

    STATEMENT OF HON. CHRISTINE E. WORMUTH, SECRETARY

                    OPENING STATEMENT OF SENATOR JON TESTER

        Senator Tester. Good morning. Let me begin by welcoming our
    witnesses. Christine Wormuth was recently confirmed as the 25th
    Secretary of the Army. She is no stranger to breaking barriers,
    and I look forward to working with her to tackle the tough
    issues in store over the coming years. General James McConville
    is the 40th Chief of Staff of the Army. He is a war fighter
    first, having received too many awards and decorations to list
    in this short opening statement. His expertise as a
    distinguished helicopter pilot makes him uniquely qualified to
    help oversee the Army's current aviation modernization efforts.
    General, I want to thank you for your service, and we look
    forward to your testimony.
        As we continue our efforts to confront growing threats from
    abroad, the Army has recognized the need to become a more
    distributed and agile force. In plain English, this means being
    able to fight on the move, across the ground, air, sea, space,
    and cyber domains. There is always more room to collaborate
    with other services working in these domains, and I commend the
    Army for embarking on a historic change in how it will fight
    the wars of the future. To do this, the Army is on an
    aggressive pursuit of modernization, including ground combat
    vehicles, soldier lethality, aviation, and long range attack
    capabilities. The Army has tried this before, the last two
    decades, tens of billions spent on R&D programs, but we have
    little to show for it.
        Today, we are beginning to see these modernization programs
    not only in advanced development stages, but also initial
    production. Secretary Wormuth and General McConville, this is
    promising news. And I ask you to keep the Army on this good
    track. The Army's budget took an overall top line reduction,
    but still increased investment in its top priorities. As a
    subcommittee, we need to know whether the dollars in this
    budget are enough to continue development and increase
    production on all of these new capabilities without
    jeopardizing today's readiness.
        We must also look down the road a few years and ask if the
    Army is prepared to afford all these new systems that they are
    getting ready to procure. High tech weapons are expensive, and
    we must be able to buy them fast enough if budgets remain
    stable. Once again, I want to thank Secretary Wormuth and
    General McConville for appearing here today. I look forward to
    your testimony and perspective on the fiscal year 2022 budget.
    Senator Shelby.

                     STATEMENT OF SENATOR RICHARD C. SHELBY

        Senator Shelby. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Secretary, warmest
    welcome to your first hearing before our subcommittee in your
    new role. Congratulations. General McConville, thank you also
    for being here. You are no stranger to this place. I look
    forward to hearing about the Army's budget proposal for 2022.
    This discussion is particularly important, I believe, because
    the Army's budget proposal reflects a 2 percent reduction from
    fiscal year 2021.
        The reduction is proposed despite the need to maintain
    readiness and make progress on key modernization priorities
    like the long range hypersonic missile and improve lethality
    capabilities. You are both well aware that our adversaries,
    including China and Russia, pose new and increasing threats
    that erode our traditional technological and battlefield
    advantages. They are making unprecedented investments in their
    capability and capacity. And China specifically has stated--has
    a stated object of surpassing us by the middle of the century.
    They made a lot of progress.
        We can't let them do that though. Given that the overall
    funding request for the Department of Defense does not keep
    pace with inflation, and the Army budget proposal reflects a
    decrease from last year, I am concerned that we are sending the
    wrong message to both our allies and our adversaries. I look
    forward to hearing today regarding the 2022 budget request and
    I look forward to question and answer time. Thank you.
        Senator Tester. Thank you, Senator Shelby. We will start
    out with your testimony, Secretary Wormuth.

                 SUMMARY STATEMENT OF HON. CHRISTINE E. WORMUTH

        Secretary Wormuth. Chairman Tester, Vice Chairman Shelby,
    distinguished members of the committee, thank you so much for
    your continued support for our Army and our people, and thank
    you for the warm welcome today. I am very glad to be here. It
    is a real privilege to be with you today, and I would like to
    very honestly and earnestly take a moment to thank General
    McConville for his lifetime of service to our Army and to our
    Nation. In my about month of time in the job, he has been a
    great partner and we are off to a running start.
        I am honored to be serving as the Secretary of the Army and
    to be working with Secretary Austin and Deputy Secretary Hicks
    once again. I thank them for their continued leadership. As I
    have stepped into the role, I am surprised--I am impressed but
    not surprised to see the State of our Army and its
    professionalism, the hard work of our soldiers and families,
    and the continued sacrifice that our soldiers and leaders make
    every day as part of our--the world's greatest land fighting
    force. I would like to highlight a few key observations on the
    state of our Army as I see them today.
        First, the Army must continue to heavily invest in the
    development of its people. People are the strength of our Army.
    We are steadily working to enhance our force structure, build
    inclusive leadership, and invest in quality of life
    initiatives. Like my predecessors, I can assure you that the
    character, culture, and climate within our formations at every
    installation will reflect a continued focus on placing people
    first.
        The harmful behaviors of sexual assault and harassment,
    racism, and extremism cannot and will not be tolerated. We will
    purposefully work to stem the tide of suicides that we have
    experienced in our Army in the last few years. Our
    responsibility is to ensure every soldier and civilian has the
    right leadership, policies, and resources to be safe and
    successful among their teams so that they can continue to be
    successful in our Nation's defense. Second, the Army is now a
    leader in new technology. From Army future's command to cross-
    functional teams to the Rapid Capabilities and Critical
    Technologies Office, to fielding next generation soldier
    equipment for individual unit members, the Army is prototyping
    and experimenting with new capabilities and concepts.
        The Army is at the forefront of developing and fielding new
    technology in counter UAS (Unmanned Aircraft Systems) directed
    energy, hypersonic weapons, next generation assured positioning
    navigation and timing devices, pushing software coding to the
    edge, and many other areas. Third, the Army is opening doors in
    the Indo-Pacific, Europe and beyond. The Army can be relied
    upon to engage with our allies, foster partnerships, maintain
    deterrence, and set conditions for success prior to or while
    engaging in conflict.
        Deterrence requires boots on the ground, and our Department
    of Defense must be present to succeed in crisis. The Army is
    recognized as an enduring, reliable partner that can directly
    contribute by bringing resources, training, and expertise to
    countries in regions around the world. Our partnership can lay
    the groundwork for access and cooperation and contingencies in
    crisis. Fourth, the next fight will be in all domain conflict.
    Future conflict will be in across all domains with ground
    forces to secure terrain, penetrate defenses, and achieve
    objectives. The Army's transformation is directly aimed at
    supporting joint war fighting that will depend on joint all
    domain command and control, expeditionary joint logistics, and
    joint maneuver across domains.
        As the Army continues to modernize, we will maintain our
    overmatch against near peer adversaries, helping make future
    conflict less likely by ensuring that the cost to our
    adversaries outweigh any benefit. And finally, the Army's
    readiness, gains, and modernization procurement requirements
    must be prioritized to continue. The Army recognizes the need
    to modernize concepts and capabilities to sharpen our global
    competitive edge. Working in close coordination with you all in
    Congress, we established a deliberate, achievable path to
    deliver a ready, modernized Army.
        Significant progress has been made, but success can only be
    assured through continued transformation. The Army has already
    made and will continue to make tough decisions to ensure the
    best use of resources to adapt to and stay ahead of the
    capabilities of our adversaries, whether they are near peer
    nations or newly emerging threats. The Army will also compete
    successfully below the threshold of conflict. The President's
    budget will help us to care for our people, maintain and
    enhance our readiness, and innovate and modernize. With your
    continued support, we will pivot to next generation
    capabilities to ensure we can win now and in the future.
        Our Army is in great shape, but we have important work
    ahead. I want to use this window of opportunity in the next few
    years to make certain that the Army will continue to provide
    modernized and ready forces capable of responding globally.
        I join General McConville in striving to ensure we provide
    the Army with the resources it needs to succeed. I know the
    Chief is eager to share his thoughts as well, and I look
    forward to your questions. Thank you.
        Senator Tester. Thank you, Secretary Wormuth. General
    McConville.
    STATEMENT OF GENERAL JAMES C. McCONVILLE, ARMY CHIEF OF
                STAFF
        General McConville. Well, thank you. And I would like to
    thank the Secretary for her leadership during this critical
    time in the Army. Chairman Tester, Vice Chair Shelby,
    distinguished members of the committee, thank you for the
    opportunity to be here today and your continued support for our
    Army and our people, our soldiers, our families, our civilians,
    and our soldiers for life, our retirees and veterans.
        The Army currently has 485,000 active duty soldiers in a
    little more than 1 million in the total force. That is roughly
    the same size Army that we had on 9/11. Army soldiers are
    presently supporting combatant commanders around the world and
    in more than 140 countries. They form the most lethal and
    decisive land force in the world, and they stand ready to fight
    and win the Nation's wars as part of the joint force. I could
    not be more proud of each and every one of them.
        Since last October, the Army's priorities have been people,
    readiness, and modernization, making us well aligned with
    emerging national security guidance. Putting people first means
    recruiting and retaining the best talent our Nation has to
    offer, maximizing their potential, and taking care of them. We
    are building a culture of cohesive teams that are highly
    trained, disciplined, and fit where everyone is treated with
    dignity and respect. And that is how we prevent the harmful
    behaviors that hurt our soldiers and break trust with the
    American people. These being sexual assault and harassment,
    acts of racism, extremism, and death by suicide.
        All three of my children, two sons and a daughter, plus my
    son in law, are currently serving in the Army. Providing a safe
    and secure environment for our soldiers is not only my
    responsibility as chief of staff the Army, it is also a deeply
    held personal commitment. We win through our people. The best
    fighting forces in the world ensured their soldiers and units
    are masters of their craft. That is why we are shifting to a
    foundational readiness model that prioritizes training at the
    company level and below first.
        The Army has rebuilt a high level of readiness with the
    support of Congress, but that readiness level is fragile. We
    must sustain that high level of readiness while continuing our
    most comprehensive transformation and modernization efforts in
    over 40 years. That is the only way we will maintain our
    overmatch against our near peer competitors and would be
    adversaries. This year, we are turning our multi domain
    operations concepts into real doctrine. We are not only
    developing but delivering on our six modernization priorities,
    including our 31 plus 4 signature systems.
        With new doctrine, organizations, and equipment, the Army
    is offering multiple options to combatant commanders and
    multiple dilemmas to competitors and adversaries. And we are
    doing so alongside our sister services and alongside our allies
    and partners. The U.S. Army never fights alone. We are the
    strongest land force in the world and a great source of that
    strength comes from our allies and partners. As a people based
    organization, we are uniquely qualified to foster these
    relationships.
        Thank you for your continued support to America's sons and
    daughters in uniform. I look forward to your questions.
        [The statement follows:]
                Prepared Statement of Hon. Christine E. Wormuth
                        and General James P. McConville
                               evolved priorities
        America's Army remains prepared to compete globally and fight and
    win the Nation's wars as a member of the Joint Force. As demonstrated
    repeatedly over the past year, we also remain the Nation's principal
    response force to protect our country and communities in the face of
    unexpected crises. We thank Congress for the consistent, predictable,
    and sustained funding you have provided. This funding enabled us to
    deliver a ready Army that responded promptly and superbly to a dynamic
    and unpredictable security environment, like the COVID-19 pandemic,
    Middle East tensions, civil unrest, cyberattacks, and south-west border
    mission. Our priorities are well aligned with the Interim National
    Security Strategic Guidance: investing in people, sustaining readiness,
    divesting of legacy systems to reinvest in cutting edge technologies
    and capabilities, mitigating the impact of climate change, and
    strengthening our alliances and partnerships.
        Last October, the Army evolved its priorities to people, readiness,
    and modernization. This evolution reflects the achievements of a multi-
    year effort to rebuild readiness and accelerate modernization. Six
    years ago, we recognized that readiness had declined precipitously
    after years of reduced funding, uncertain budgets, and deferred
    modernization. We also recognized the need for new concepts,
    capabilities, and posture to compete aggressively in the Indo-Pacific
    and Europe. With your support, we rebuilt tactical readiness in our
    units and built strategic readiness in our power projection
    infrastructure. We deliberately executed internal reforms over the last
    four years by realigning over $35 billion within the Army budget to
    self-fund modernization priorities in support of joint all-domain
    operations.
        Thanks to your continued support for Army modernization, we are
    successfully pivoting from the incremental improvements of the past to
    fulfilling the robust Army Modernization Strategy that Congress
    prescribed in the 2018 National Defense Authorization Act. Because of
    this strategy, and new Congressional authorities to streamline the
    acquisitions process, we are already beginning to field new systems in
    long-range precision fires, air and missile defense, and soldier
    lethality, with more on the way in next generation combat vehicles,
    future vertical lift, and the Army network. With these modernization
    capabilities, we are able to deliver multi-domain concepts,
    capabilities, and formations that will give the Joint Force asymmetric,
    all-domain advantages against near-peer potential adversaries. Our
    gains are real, but fragile. With Congressional support, we established
    a deliberate achievable path to deliver a ready and modernized Army by
    2028 and a transformed multi-domain Army by 2035. However, sustaining
    today's readiness and modernizing for tomorrow's readiness is only
    possible through your timely, adequate, predictable, and sustained
    funding.
                             strategic environment
        A dynamic global security landscape continues to challenge our
    nation. These challenges include: (1) borderless threats, like COVID,
    cyber, violent extremism, and climate change; (2) the global siege on
    democracy to include an increasingly contested information environment;
    and (3) the changing distribution of global power that draws new lines
    and value propositions for many of our allies and partners. These
    challenges require an agile, ready, modern, and multi-domain Army that
    works alongside strong allies and partners. Strategic competitors and
    regional actors are testing American norms, institutions, and
    alliances. China, our pacing threat, increases its global
    assertiveness, while Russia increases its disruptive behavior. Threats
    from Iran, North Korea, and violent extremism and terrorism remain.
    While America's Army maintains a tenuous overmatch, it is fleeting.
    Future conflicts will manifest at longer range, across all domains, and
    at much greater speed, both physically and cognitively.
        Climate change is altering the Army's operational environment and
    adding new mission demands; mitigating these effects has been an
    ongoing priority for the Army for several years. Climate change impacts
    Army installations globally and opens the Arctic as a new geographic
    theater for competition. The Army must consider alternative energy
    sources, improved energy storage, fuel-efficient design, more robust
    power distribution, and new technologies, such as weather pattern and
    terrain stability modeling to better inform operations.
        The Army must also contend with threats from within. The harmful
    behaviors of sexual assault, sexual harassment, racism, and extremism
    hurt Soldiers and break trust with the American people. The Army is
    working diligently to solidify a culture of cohesion and intervention
    to protect our Soldiers, not only from the deliberate fratricide of
    these behaviors, but from the invisible danger of mental and behavioral
    health issues, and other stressors that can increase the risk of
    suicide.
                                  people first
        Listening to Soldiers led to our very deliberate decision to re-
    align our priorities. The Army's number one priority is now people. Our
    people are our Soldiers from the Active, Guard, and Reserve components,
    Army families, Army civilians, and retiree and veteran Soldiers for
    Life. At every echelon, the Army must promote and build cohesive teams
    (1) that are highly trained, disciplined, and fit, (2) that are ready
    to fight and win, and (3) in which each person is treated with dignity
    and respect. Cohesive teams are the foundation of all our people
    initiatives and how the Army can best sustain readiness and transform
    for the future. Three critical enablers from the 2019 Army People
    Strategy continue to set conditions for putting people first: Army
    Culture, Quality of Life initiatives, and a 21st Century Talent
    Management System.
    Army Culture
        Last December, the Army stood up the People First Task Force to
    address and implement the 70 Fort Hood Independent Review Committee
    recommendations, with the understanding that the issues identified are
    not unique to a single installation. Army leaders are stewards of a
    special bond of trust and confidence with the American people. We held
    accountable those leaders deemed to have broken that trust. We have
    fundamentally transformed our command selection process in order to
    improve the way we choose future leaders to assume positions with the
    most influence over Soldiers. We are piloting independent climate
    assessment teams of subject matter experts to identify unit climate
    trends early and respond before systemic problems emerge. We are
    listening to our people to learn and lead better. We conducted 96
    listening sessions across 14 locations in addition to a special
    ``Solarium'' conference that asked junior- and mid-career leaders to
    develop solutions. The Army is now working to change policies and
    aspects of Army culture that impede prevention and response to harmful
    behaviors. The first policy change introduced ``absent--unknown'', an
    additional duty status code which affords missing Soldiers oversight
    not present in ``Absent Without Leave (AWOL).''
        ``This is My Squad'' is the foundational principle for Army
    culture. This initiative, led by the Sergeant Major of the Army,
    promotes cohesion by encouraging Soldiers to better know those around
    them, develop greater compassion, and intervene early to protect
    others. Implementation actions include increased non-commissioned
    officer professional military education, redistribution of experienced
    leaders, and better reception processes for integrating new Soldiers at
    each installation and unit.
        Project Inclusion is a holistic effort to improve diversity,
    equity, and inclusion across the force. As of March of this year, the
    Army had conducted 83 Project Inclusion listening sessions with over
    4,700 attendees. Separately, the Army reviewed its policy on official
    photos and removed official photos from all promotion boards. The Army
    later redacted race, ethnicity, and gender data from Soldier Record
    Briefs in accordance with the Secretary of Defense's direction. The
    Army is building relationships with influencers in diverse cities and
    communities to better acquire, develop, employ, and retain the best
    talent across the entire nation.
    Quality of Life (QoL) Initiatives
        Putting people first also means creating a duty and installation
    environment that allows Soldiers to thrive. The Army continues to
    prioritize the QoL focus areas identified in 2019. The COVID era only
    reinforced how essential each of those initiatives is to the well-being
    and readiness of our Soldiers and their families.
        Housing and Barracks. We continue executing the Army Housing
    Campaign Plan to shape policies, procedures, and processes at every
    echelon. The Army implemented 14 of the 18 tenets of the Tenant Bill of
    Rights in its Residential Communities Initiatives (RCI) projects. We
    expect the remaining four (common tenant lease, 7-year maintenance
    history, dispute resolution and rent segregation) to be available at
    the majority of installations with privatized housing by June 1, 2021.
    We implemented mechanisms that hold privatized companies accountable to
    residents for proper maintenance and customer service, hired additional
    personnel to provide quality assurance oversight, and implemented 100
    percent change of occupancy inspections and quality assurance checks.
    To address environmental hazards (mold and lead), we developed
    educational materials, a response registry, and policies for
    habitability and displaced residents. Through the RCI, we are
    committing over $1.8 billion and reinvesting another $1 billion to
    improve residential housing. Additionally, the Army is projected to
    invest over $10 billion in the next 10 years, in both Restoration &
    Modernization and Military Construction funds, which will renovate or
    replace more than 1,200 barracks for all components and eliminate sub-
    standard barracks.
        Healthcare. Army Medicine is partnering with the Defense Health
    Agency to deliver the best care for our beneficiaries across our
    installations. We are focusing on readiness as the Military Health
    System reforms. We will emphasize operationally oriented training,
    modernized capabilities, and innovative operational concepts. We are
    grateful to Congress for increases in Health Professional Officer
    special pay caps. This necessary investment ensures Army Medicine can
    recruit and retain the best quality healthcare professionals for the
    sustainability of the force.
        Childcare. Childcare professionals serve on the front line of the
    Army's response to the COVID-19 pandemic as they allow mission
    essential personnel to maintain Army readiness. The Army has a multi-
    pronged strategy to maintain, and in some cases, increase access to
    care. With continued Congressional support, we plan to build 21
    additional Child Development Centers by FY30, adding approximately
    4,000 spaces.
        We appreciate Congressional support for the three centers funded in
    FY21, two in Hawaii and one in Alaska. We continue to invest in these
    professionals, adjusting compensation to recruit and retain quality
    staff. We are incentivizing the family child care program, like a
    $1,000 bonus for new providers and for families that stay in the
    program after a move. We implemented revised DoD priorities for
    childcare to grant more access to military families. Finally, we
    continue to invest in fee assistance to buy down the cost of off-post
    care when on-post care is unavailable.
        Spouse Employment. With the support of Congress, the Army continues
    to make improvements in spouse employment. The Army reimburses up to
    $1,000 for professional licensing and certification in a new state,
    with Army Emergency Relief offering an additional $2,500. We thank
    Congress for its efforts to bolster the support of individual states in
    granting reciprocity. We streamlined the Home-Based Business
    application and approval system, improved policies for military spouse
    hiring preference, strengthened the Employment Readiness Program, and
    made the transfer of non-appropriated fund employees between
    installations easier. We continue to work with the Office of the
    Secretary of Defense (OSD) to promote workforce development
    scholarships, improve state license reciprocity and professional
    license compacts, and reduce overseas employment barriers.
        Permanent Change of Station (PCS) Moves. Soldiers are now receiving
    PCS orders an average of 120 days before their report date, an
    improvement of 30 to 90 days. Families can now claim 100 percent of
    their costs for reimbursement when conducting a personally procured
    move. Our development and launch of the ``Army PCS Move'' app and
    automation of several business processes, including the Smart Voucher
    program, are helping families research, book movers, track progress,
    and file claims, expediting reimbursement. Though COVID-19 heavily
    impacted last summer's peak PCS season, we still executed over 70,000
    moves with a 95 percent satisfaction rate.
    21st Century Talent Management System
        The Army continues to refine and implement its 21st Century Talent
    Management System in order to effectively acquire, develop, employ, and
    retain talent. We are maximizing the potential of each Soldier. We are
    evolving our marketing and recruiting with initiatives like Army Hiring
    Days and the ``What's Your Warrior?'' campaign to bring in the best
    talent from across the country, including cities and communities with
    populations who may be unfamiliar with the opportunities military
    service affords. This year the Army launched cutting-edge digital
    talent initiatives. Our Army Artificial Intelligence Center partners
    with Carnegie Mellon University to grow data engineers and data
    technicians, while our Software Factory leverages the extraordinary
    existing talent in our Army to grow coders to solve Army problems.
        At the heart of the Army's 21st Century Talent Management System
    are new approaches, systems, and processes that leverage deep data
    about unit needs and Soldier knowledge, skills, behaviors, and
    preferences. The Integrated Personnel and Pay System--Army (IPPS-A) is
    on track to go live across all three components by the end of this
    calendar year. Release 2 is complete, having brought IPPS-A to the Army
    National Guard across 54 states and territories. Release 3, currently
    in testing, will integrate the active and reserve forces and complete
    the Army's transition to a single system across all components capable
    of identifying needed talent and managing Soldier careers from
    accession to transition.
        Talent management starts with having the right Army leaders at the
    battalion and brigade-level. These are the Army's most consequential
    leadership positions in terms of affecting retention and attrition. In
    the biggest change to the Army's command selection process in fifty
    years, the Army now uses a Commander Assessment Program to select
    future battalion and brigade commanders, as well as command sergeants
    major. This intensive five-day program evaluates individuals for their
    temperament, cognitive fitness, physical health, and leadership skills.
    We are also expanding to build a system to assess and select our Army
    Acquisition Corps civilians at the same echelons. We are putting the
    right people in the right place at the right time to remain ready
    today.
    Ready Today
        The Army stands ready today to compete globally and fight and win
    the Nation's wars in support of the Joint Force. This is only because
    we recognized six years ago that readiness had declined precipitously
    after three years of reduced funding and uncertain budgets. Since then,
    and funding from Congress, we rebuilt tactical readiness and built
    strategic readiness. However, readiness is fragile. We require
    continued support to maintain it, in order to reliably meet the needs
    of combatant commands without overstressing our people.
        People are the Army's most important weapon system. The Army
    represents 25 percent of the Defense budget, 35 percent of the active
    force, and 45 percent of the active and reserve forces, but meets over
    half of global demands. Today, the Total Army supports the Joint Force
    by supplying Soldiers to combatant commanders in more than 140
    countries. Over 69,000 Soldiers are in the Indo-Pacific, including over
    25,000 forward deployed on the Korean peninsula. Over 30,000 Soldiers
    are in Europe supporting NATO and the European Deterrence Initiative,
    including the forward command post of our newly reactivated V Corps. We
    remain dedicated to our counterterrorism and train, advise, assist
    missions, providing over 21,000 Soldiers in support of the U.S. Central
    Command theater. In our Nation's Capital this year, over 26,000
    National Guard Soldiers mobilized from 28 states to assist with medical
    evacuation, communications, security, logistics and safety support.
    Last year, we executed 64 brigade-equivalent deployments and moved 45
    thousand pieces of equipment through 55 ports of embarkation/
    debarkation in support of worldwide missions.
        This past year highlighted the need for the Army to defend the
    Nation at home as well as abroad. In response, the Army continually
    demonstrated its capability and capacity to provide timely and
    effective support in crisis. The COVID-19 pandemic expanded the Army's
    existing mission set as DoD's leader in protecting the warfighter from
    biological threats and investigating infectious diseases that threaten
    public health. Since last March, Army scientists, medical
    professionals, engineers, and logisticians from all components have
    deployed nationwide to aid COVID prevention and response efforts. For
    its vaccine development and distribution initiative, America turned to
    an Army logistician to lead operations. Our National Guard and Reserve
    units across America supported both neighbor and nation in an
    unprecedented level of mobilization, not only for COVID support, but in
    response to civil unrest, hurricanes, and wildfires, all while
    continuing to train for wartime missions.
        In 2020, the Army demonstrated strategic readiness through its
    series of DEFENDER exercises, despite the constraints of a pandemic
    environment. Strategic readiness involves installation capabilities to
    mobilize, train, and deploy formations and then sustain them from the
    homeland. DEFENDER-Pacific 2020 witnessed the deployment of combat
    credible forces across the breadth of the Indo-Pacific theater from
    Guam and Palau to the Aleutian Island chain and mainland Alaska. Under
    the command and control of U.S. Army Pacific, combined joint forces
    executed strategic readiness operations that included cargo delivery,
    forcible entry operations, rapid infiltration of High Mobility
    Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), operational maneuver of Army
    watercraft, and fighter combat patrols. DEFENDER-Europe 2021 is
    currently underway with over 30,000 multinational forces from 27
    nations conducting nearly simultaneous operations across 30 training
    areas. This year's exercise will incorporate Security Force Assistance
    Brigades, the Army's new V Corps, and U.S. Air Force and Navy assets.
    DEFENDER-Europe 21 is led by the Army's newly consolidated U.S. Army
    Europe and Africa Command.
        The foundation of Army readiness is our people. The Army is moving
    to a foundational readiness model that prioritizes the training of
    individuals and small units at the company level and below. The best
    combat units in the world ensure their individuals and small units are
    masters of their craft. To foster individual readiness, the Army is
    also investing in holistic health and fitness. We continue to study the
    impact of the Army Combat Fitness Test in accordance with Congressional
    guidance in order to better connect individual fitness with combat
    readiness. A solid foundation of readiness enables unit agility and
    provides the greatest return on an investment of limited time and
    resources. We will continue to use the combat training centers to bring
    these highly trained, disciplined, and fit teams together for large-
    scale collective training that validates the combat effectiveness of
    our battalions and brigades.
        The Army must balance the continuous demand for current readiness
    from combatant command requirements with the imperative to secure
    future readiness, all without overly stressing our people or our
    equipment. To this end, the Army developed, tested, and rehearsed a new
    unit lifecycle model that will go into effect October 2021: the
    Regionally Aligned Readiness and Modernization Model (ReARMM). ReARMM
    will harmonize historically conflicting Army priorities. It will take
    care of people by reducing operational tempo and maximizing
    predictability and stability to commanders, Soldiers, and families.
    ReARMM will sustain readiness by carving out dedicated windows for
    building readiness at echelon while aligning units with primary regions
    and functions.
        Regional alignment provides units deep wells of knowledge on the
    terrain, culture, and people where their units are most likely to
    operate. Joint force commanders also gain by leveraging habitual,
    trusted relationships between Army formations and Allies and partners.
    Finally, ReARMM will facilitate modernization by giving units dedicated
    windows to integrate new equipment, reorganize formations, and train on
    new doctrine. Adopting this model transitions the Army from small,
    incremental, evolutionary modernization of platforms to large-step
    modernization of our formations.
    Army Modernization--Transforming for Tomorrow
        The Army faces an inflection point that requires innovation,
    creativity, and entrepreneurship in the application of combat power.
    The battlefield is increasingly faster, more lethal, and more
    distributed. Overmatch will belong to the side that can make better
    decisions faster. To meet emerging challenges, the Army is transforming
    to provide the Joint Force with the speed, range, and convergence of
    cutting edge technologies that will generate the decision dominance and
    overmatch required to win the next fight. We are leading the way in
    developing and fielding advanced technology in support of the Joint
    Force.
        The Army's materiel modernization transformation--what we fight
    with--is based on the six modernization priorities announced in 2018:
    Long Range Precision Fires, Next Generation Combat Vehicle, Future
    Vertical Lift, the Army Network, Air and Missile Defense, and Soldier
    Lethality. The Army's conceptual transformation--how we fight--begins
    with our Multi-Domain Operations concept, which we are currently
    turning into doctrine. The Army is using Project Convergence, our
    campaign of learning and annual capstone event, to shape future
    concepts and capabilities. By 2035, the Army will realize its vision of
    a multi-domain force.
        The Army is committed to seeing our signature materiel
    modernization efforts through to completion. Many are coming on line
    according to, or ahead of, our accelerated development schedule and
    being delivered to our Soldiers. Through continuous reform efforts, we
    have been able to redirect scarce resources to these key modernization
    efforts; however, we could not achieve this without Congressional
    support and authorities. Army Futures Command is providing
    unprecedented unity of effort across the modernization enterprise,
    having changed our business model and culture through public-private
    partnerships and a focus on Soldier-centered design. This allows us to
    gain immediate operator feedback, accelerating the development process
    and ensuring new systems are effective in operational environments.
    These reforms, combined with early experimentation through Project
    Convergence, are paying significant dividends. Judicious use of Middle
    Tier Acquisition and Other Transaction Authorities enable progress from
    characteristics to fielded capabilities in as short as three years,
    versus the five to seven years it took just to prescribe requirements
    in the past.
    Long Range Precision Fires
        Long range precision fires provide the capability to penetrate
    Anti-Access/Area Denial (A2/AD) environments, suppress air defenses and
    strike maritime targets at range from land, and establish our own A2/AD
    capability to open windows of opportunity for the Joint Force to
    exploit. In 2019, OSD directed the Army to develop a ground based long-
    range hypersonic weapon. In FY23, the Army will field the first Long
    Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW) firing battery. The Army is also
    developing a ground-launched, Mid-Range Capability that will complement
    the LRHW and the Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) capabilities. The PrSM
    is on schedule to conduct its maximum range test in 3QFY21 and deliver
    30 missiles in FY23. It will provide greater range, lethality, and
    survivability at a lower cost per shot than ATACMS. The Extended Range
    Cannon Artillery remains on schedule for delivery in FY23. It will
    establish overmatch against peer adversaries in the close and deep
    operational maneuver areas with an extended range out to 70km.
    Next Generation Combat Vehicle
        Next generation combat vehicles will increase the firepower, speed,
    and survivability of land forces, allowing them to maneuver into
    positions of advantage in the future operational environment. After
    rebaselining the Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle (OMFV) program last
    year, the Army issued the final request for proposal for the concept
    design phase on December 18, 2020. OMFV is an example of how our new
    acquisitions process enabled the Army to learn early and recover before
    programs become too big to fail. The Robotic Combat Vehicle (RCV)
    effort envisions an unmanned platform that provides decisive mobility,
    lethality, survivability, and increased situational awareness to
    formations. RCV will undergo increasingly rigorous experiments and
    capability demonstrations with a decision to procure by FY24. The
    Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV) is an adaptable and more
    survivable multi-variant vehicle that replaces the 1960s era M113
    Family of Vehicles. Mobile Protected Firepower (MPF) is an armored
    combat vehicle that will provide, large caliber, long-range direct
    fires in support of Infantry Brigade Combat Teams. The first unit
    equipped with MPF will be in FY25.
    Future Vertical Lift
        Future Vertical Lift platforms and technologies increase the
    maneuverability, range, endurance, lethality, and survivability of Army
    aircraft, providing joint commanders with increased operational reach
    and effectiveness against near-peer competitors. Our new acquisitions
    process has put the onus on industry to innovate and invest early,
    allowing the Army to ``fly before we buy.'' The Future Armed
    Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) closes the gap left by retirement of the
    Vietnam-era Kiowa. Two prototypes will fly in FY23 followed by a year-
    long flight demonstration. The Future Long Range Assault Aircraft
    (FLRAA) will replace the UH60 Blackhawk with increased speed, range,
    payload, and endurance. We expect initial FLRAA prototypes in FY25.
    Future vertical lift will leverage advances in Unmanned Aircraft System
    (UAS) technology to develop Air Launched Effects (ALE) with a wide
    array of payloads and extended communication mesh networks with a
    fielding plan in FY24.
    Army Network
        The Army network modernization underpins Project Convergence as the
    Army's contribution to Combined Joint All-Domain Command and Control.
    It provides necessary information technology (IT) infrastructure to
    link the right sensors to the right shooters through the appropriate
    command and control node. In FY21, we will field more than 150 units
    with new technologies while simultaneously developing the next
    capability set of equipment. The Army is also modernizing current
    Global Position System (GPS) receivers to meet current and emerging
    threats by providing the Joint Force with advanced assured precision,
    navigation and timing (APNT) systems. Included are modernized receivers
    that meet congressional mandates to transition to M-code GPS and
    integrate alternative APNT technologies for our ground combat
    platforms, dismounted Soldiers, precision weapons and munitions, and
    aviation systems. We are fielding the first generation mounted APNT
    systems to our forward deployed formations with a second generation
    ready not later than FY23. Additionally, the Army continues to invest
    in space-based technologies that close operational gaps in deep sensing
    and targeting activities. We are coordinating with partners in the
    Intelligence Community and private industry to enhance Army access to
    Low Earth Orbit (LEO) space-based sensing and link with national-level
    capabilities to provide tactical-level sensor to shooter capability to
    combat formations.
    Air and Missile Defense
        Air and missile defense capabilities defend the Joint Force,
    allies, and partners against manned and unmanned air and missile
    threats. The Army's integrated air and missile defense capabilities
    will protect joint forces from adversary aircraft, missiles, and drones
    to protect the force and enable operations. This includes both theater
    systems and tactical/short-range air defense like the Maneuver-Short
    Range Air Defense (M-SHORAD) which defeats aerial threats to the
    maneuver force with a mix of kinetic capabilities. The Rapid
    Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office (RCCTO) is developing a
    Directed Energy (DE) M-SHORAD variant that utilizes a 50kW class laser.
    We will field four DE prototypes for experimentation and further
    development. Indirect Fire Protection Capability (IFPC) will defend
    fixed and semi-fixed assets primarily against cruise missiles and
    Unmanned Aircraft Systems as well as fixed and rotary wing aircraft.
    Based on the authorization in the 2021 NDAA, the Army is currently
    preparing two Iron Dome batteries for operational deployment at the end
    of FY22. This spring the Army will conduct a shoot-off to inform our
    decision on the enduring IFPC solution. RCCTO is also working on two
    IFPC variants, a High Energy Laser (HEL) and a High-Powered Microwave
    (HPM). The IFPC-HEL uses a 300kW-class HEL to defeat Rocket, Artillery,
    and Mortar (RAM) threats and is on track for demonstration. The IFPC-
    High-Powered Microwave is being developed with the Air Force to produce
    the Tactical High Power Microwave Operational Responder (THOR) in FY21
    with a prototype expected in FY24. The Integrated Air and Missile
    Defense Battle Command System (IBCS) initial operational capability is
    3QFY22 with fielding. IBCS is a revolutionary command-and- control
    system that streamlines sensor to shooter linkages for air and missile
    defense engagements--and once fielded with enable optimized employment
    of the Patriot force. This enhanced tracking system delivers an
    unambiguous view of the operating environment, allowing commanders and
    air defenders to make critical decisions within seconds. The Lower-Tier
    Air and Missile Defense Sensor (LTAMDS) will deliver the next
    generation sensor that leverages the capabilities of the Patriot
    Missile Segment Enhanced (MSE) interceptor and is fully integrated into
    IBCS.
    Soldier Lethality
        Soldier Lethality improvements to weapons, sensors, body armor, and
    training will deliver decision dominance and overmatch at the level
    where it matters most-, allowing individual Soldiers to quickly
    understand and react to emerging situations. With ReARMM, we are
    incorporating Guard and Reserve units into the fielding schedule much
    earlier and more broadly than in past modernization efforts. The Army
    seeks continued Congressional support for the rapid prototyping,
    development, and procurement of the Next Generation Squad Weapon (NGSW)
    Rifle and Automatic Rifle, Enhanced Night Vision Goggles (ENVG),
    Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS)--Heads-Up Display (HUD)
    3.0, and the Synthetic Training Environment (STE). By 1QFY22, we'll
    equip the first unit with IVAS. In 4QFY22, we will equip the first unit
    with the Next Gen Squad Weapon Rifle and Automatic Rifle, as well as
    General Purpose Ammo. STE efforts that complement IVAS include the
    Squad Immersive Virtual Trainer (as part of IVAS) and the STE
    Information System that includes: One World Terrain, Training
    Simulation Software, and Training Management Tools.
        In addition to our six priorities, the Army understands the need
    for considerable investment in long-term research to deliver science
    and technology solutions. The Army is aligning its laboratories towards
    modernization and partnering with over 250 research institutions. The
    Army's priority research areas are: disruptive energetics, Radio
    Frequency (RF) electronic materials, quantum research, hypersonic
    flight, artificial intelligence, autonomy, synthetic biology, material
    by design, and advanced manufacturing.
        The Army is also investing in deep sensing and analysis to provide
    intelligence support to long range precision fires and commanders'
    situational awareness during Joint All-Domain Operations. We will
    continue to drive intelligence modernization by acquiring capabilities
    and capacities across the Space, Aerial, Terrestrial, and Foundation
    Layers nested with and in support of the Army's six modernization
    priorities. We will continue to leverage the Intelligence Community
    (IC), other Services', and commercial partner enterprise-level
    Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance collection programs to
    provide timely, accurate, and relevant intelligence to support Army
    targeting efforts and enhance commanders' decision making.
        The Army is not just modernizing concepts and materiel. We require
    continued budget support to modernize infrastructure and execute
    workload in our Organic Industrial Base (OIB) of depots, arsenals, and
    ammunition plants, along with our power projection and Mobilization
    Force Generation Installations to better project power from and into
    contested environments. We must be able to address the risk of new and
    emerging cyber, information, and physical threats that can thwart our
    ability to project power by disrupting installation operational
    capabilities and the supply chains supporting our forces, whether from
    malign actors or nature. Our installations must be resilient to
    disruption and modernized in support of the modernized Army force. The
    Army is investing significant time and resources to mitigate the
    effects of climate change on our installations. We are establishing
    energy and water resilience, efficiency, and affordability across our
    installation enterprise. In the past five years, energy programs,
    partnerships and initiatives recognized a cost avoidance or savings of
    more than 14 percent, every installation has added a full-time energy
    manager position, and 16 of 26 Army OIB depots, arsenals and ammunition
    plants have transitioned from fossil fuels to clean energy
    alternatives. We are also partnering with private industry to implement
    energy and utility savings contracts that maximize the latest
    technology to drive efficiency and reduced costs, with 99 agreements
    currently in execution.
        The Army is also not modernizing in a vacuum, but in partnership
    with our sister Services. We have completed two Army-Air Force
    Warfighter Talks and one Army-Air Force-Navy joint session to ensure
    the Army's Project Convergence initiatives remains synchronized with
    the Air Force's Advanced Battle Management System and the Navy's
    Project Overmatch to meet the unique needs of each Service. As we work
    to stand-up a Multi-Domain Task Force (MDTF) in Europe later this year,
    our Indo-Pacific aligned MDTF continues to synchronize effects with the
    Joint Force during multiple exercises. The MDTF's All-Domain Operations
    Center enables Joint training, to include hosting Carrier Strike Group-
    3 for the Navy's Fleet Synthetic Training--Joint exercise and
    connecting to the Navy's Continuous Training Environment network.
    During INDOPACOM's Pacific Fury 21, the MDTF validated its ability to
    virtually synchronize long range fires and effects with the Joint
    Force. The MDTF will participate in USINDOPACOM's upcoming Northern
    Edge and Joint All Domain Command and Control (JADC2) Simulation
    Experiment (SIMEX) in May before rotating into the Indo-Pacific later
    this summer to participate in joint exercises with PACAF, PACFLT, and
    MARFORPAC.
    Strengthening Alliances and Partnerships
        America does not fight alone. Alliances and partnerships are among
    the greatest sources of our military strength. This global landpower
    network is DoD's foundation for competition, creating inroads and
    maneuver space for Joint and whole-of-government strategic engagement.
    As a people organization, the Army is uniquely qualified to maintain
    and expand this vital network, especially given that partner militaries
    and their senior leaders are predominately land force-centric. Our
    roadmap for building and strengthening relationships spans a range of
    activities that include military and key leader engagements, education
    and training programs such as the Department of State's International
    Military Education and Training (IMET) and International Professional
    Military Education (IPME), security assistance through Title 22 Foreign
    Military Sales, and advise and assist capabilities. Boots on the ground
    deter would-be adversaries, and small, scalable engagements with our
    Allies and partners open doors to the access and presence we need to
    compete effectively. The Army's new Security Force Assistance Brigades
    (SFAB) demonstrate our commitment to alliances and partnerships and our
    capability to compete.
        Last year we completed the activation of all six SFABs, five in the
    Regular Army and one in the Army National Guard. Since then, 5th SFAB
    has already completed missions with multiple partners across the Indo-
    Pacific theater, including elements of the Thai, Indonesian, and Indian
    armies. Later this year, many of those partners will join their
    American counterparts in combined exercises at the National Training
    Center. Engagements such as these are vital, not only for
    interoperability, but in recognition that Cold War-era exclusive
    allegiance to a single great power no longer exists. Many if not all of
    our allies and partners maintain concurrent relationships with both the
    United States and our competitors and potential adversaries. We cannot
    take for granted these relationships and the vital access and presence
    they provide us.
                                    closing
        The men and women of the United States Army are the greatest
    Soldiers in the world. The Army is cultivating cohesive teams,
    maximizing talent, sustaining tactical and strategic readiness,
    progressing through our greatest transformation in over 40 years, and
    strengthening our alliances and partnerships. We are leading the way in
    developing and fielding high technology for the Joint Force. We are
    opening operational and strategic doors in the Indo-Pacific and Europe.
    We are succeeding through calibrating our force posture around the
    globe to assure our partners and deter would-be adversaries. And we
    need your continued support. With timely, adequate, predictable, and
    sustained funding, we will remain ready to fight and win our Nation's
    wars--now and into the future.

        Senator Tester. Thank you, General. Appreciate the comments
    of you and the Secretary. First off, I want to thank the Army,
    especially the soldiers of the National Guard, for their
    efforts in supporting the capital security mission over the
    last several months. While there has been discussion on a much
    needed supplemental appropriations bill to cover these costs, I
    am getting nervous about what will happen if those funds are
    not approved and approved soon.
        So, Secretary Wormuth, can you give us some insight on how
    much the Army is insured across its components from that
    mission? What sort of tradeoffs you are going to have to make
    as you push funds around to cover those costs in the short
    term?
        Secretary Wormuth. Yes, Chairman Tester. Right now, the
    resources basically to pay for the support that the National
    Guard has provided to the Capitol, and I want to take a minute
    also to just recognize their enormous contribution, is about
    $450 million. So that is the bill associated with the support
    that they provided in this execution year.
        If we are not able to cover that, right now the Army Guard
    is basically in a situation where they are concerned about
    their ability to pay for training for the rest of this year. So
    without that, those resources, the Guard, for example, and you
    know, and this is in States all around the country, will find
    themselves with training issues that are going to affect, you
    know, both their aviation readiness, for example, their ability
    to have readiness with their ground vehicles, they are going to
    have, you know, again, many of the training exercises that they
    have put off because of everything else they have been doing in
    support of COVID, in support of the Southwest border, in
    support of being here in the capital.
        All of that regularly scheduled training has been postponed
    and now is at risk of not being able to be funded. And so it is
    definitely a concern and something that will impact our Guard
    all around the Nation.
        Senator Tester. So has training been postponed already?
        Secretary Wormuth. Senator, no. My sense of the situation
    is at this point, they have been--they are in a position where
    they don't want to with--spend funds for the remainder of the
    year because then they will be basically at a point of being in
    violation of the Anti-deficiency Act. So it is really looking
    at the summer months, July, August, September.
        Senator Tester. That is when it will kick in?
        Secretary Wormuth. Yes.
        Senator Tester. That is good to know. General McConville,
    one proposal that is being floated openly is the idea of a
    standing military quick reaction force for capital security.
    How do you feel about this mission, and do you think it is
    appropriate for the Army?
        General McConville. Well, my best military advice, Senator,
    is law enforcement should be conducted by law enforcement
    agencies and the military should be the last resort when it
    comes to law enforcement.
        Senator Tester. I appreciate your direct answer to that.
    Thank you very, very much. Shifting to the Pacific, where we
    are driving a lot of modernization priorities to fight China.
    The Army's going to need helicopters with increased range and
    speed and missiles, very long ranges. This year's budget
    request includes an increase in investments in the Army's
    modernization priorities from $9.5 billion to $11.3 billion.
    General McConville, can you give a quick overview of your
    increased investments in fiscal year 2022 and how they support
    the shift to the Pacific?
        General McConville. Yes, Senator. We have about $1.9
    billion focused on the Pacific. That does not include the pay
    for the 69,000 soldiers that operate the Pacific. The key to
    what we are providing the combatant commanders out there is we
    provide the new organization Security Force Assistance
    Brigades, which allows them to work closely with our allies and
    partners in the region and build up their capacity. We are
    developing a multi-domain task force that provides really two
    capabilities, long range precision effects, which is very, very
    important in the competition, because they can do intelligence,
    they can do information operations, they can do cyber
    electronic warfare, and space operations.
        They also have the capability which we are developing, it
    is long range precision fires, which helps with deterrence
    because it gives us the ability to potentially penetrate any
    type of anti-access area denial capability that is set up by
    potential competitors in the region. We are also doing multiple
    exercises, so we have a chance to work with our allies and
    partners, and we are present throughout the region, which is
    very, very important to reassuring our fellow land components
    that will be there when they need us.
        Senator Tester. Thank you, General. Senator Shelby.
        Senator Shelby. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The Army's fiscal
    year 2022 budget request for research and development continues
    to focus on six modernization priorities, yet the 2022 budget
    proposal for research and development funding is $1.3 billion
    less than last year. Madam Secretary, now that you have taken
    the helm and begun to review these modernization efforts, are
    you considering any changes to the focus areas or the approach
    that the Army has taken to its modernization priorities?
        Secretary Wormuth. Vice Chairman, Generally, I am very
    comfortable with the modernization priorities that the Army has
    at this time. And as General McConville was just speaking to, I
    think the kinds of capabilities we are looking at in terms of
    long range precision fires, future vertical lift, you know,
    next generation vehicles, and air and missile defenses also are
    all very appropriate to the kinds of near peer challenges that
    we are facing. So broadly speaking, I am comfortable with where
    we are heading.
        I think, you know, we are going to have to continue
    carefully balancing between our modernization emphasis while
    also maintaining our readiness and taking care of our people.
    But I think we are going in the right direction on
    modernization, sir.
        Senator Shelby. Would you deem research and development a
    very high priority, period?
        Secretary Wormuth. Yes, it is very important that we
    continue to emphasize development.
        Senator Shelby. For tomorrow's weapons----
        Secretary Wormuth. Yes, exactly. And we have got about 74
    percent of our R&D account focused on our 31 plus 4 priorities
    for modernization.
        Senator Shelby. General McConville, could you provide a
    General overview, knowing we are not in closed session, on the
    progress of the Army's six modernization priorities and outline
    what risk that the Army is accepting by reducing its research
    and development funding as it pursues those priorities? It is a
    dangerous road, you know.
        General McConville. Yes. Well, as the Secretary said, we
    have done some tremendous work, we call it night court, to take
    a look at our modernization priorities and make sure that we
    align the resources with them and the research development. So
    we have moved a tremendous amount of money, about 74 percent of
    our research and development funds focused on those
    modernization priorities. They are moving along very, very
    well. As you know, Senator, hypersonics is moving extremely
    quickly. We expect our first battery and in 2023, our mid-range
    capabilities, moving along very capability, we expect to be
    able to send ships in 2023.
        Our present strike missile capabilities is moving along
    very capable. We expect to have the first battery around 2023.
    Our next generation combat vehicle is moving out. That is going
    to come in about 2028. And future vertical lift, we have two
    different aircraft that we are developing, both are flying
    models right now. Again, this is exceptionally fast, delivering
    that to the troops. We want to fly before we buy and that is
    coming in around 2028. We are making great strides in air and
    missile defense so we can counter unmanned aerial systems. We
    are making great strides in convergence with our network and
    bringing together our sensors and shooters, so we have the
    overmatch we need.
        And finally, for our soldiers, we are getting them the
    lethality they need through an integrated visual augmentation
    system, a new carbine that can be much more lethal on the
    battlefield, and a new squad automatic weapon system. So we are
    very, very pleased with the progress that we are making on the
    six modernization priorities and really very pleased the way we
    are working with industry in a different way.
        Senator Shelby. Sir, the Army's Rapid Capabilities and
    Critical Technologies Office is leading the development of the
    long range hypersonic weapons. This program is scheduled to
    conduct several test events in 2022. What do you expect to
    learn, that you talk about in this session today, to the test
    of the schedule next year, and how will this data from test
    events lead to decisions for the program? And how is
    development going on the thermal protection system, which I
    think is very important there?
        General McConville. Well, Senator, as you know, we had a
    very successful test last year. We are getting ready to do
    another test over the upcoming months. That test is, again, is
    going to confirm a lot of the systems. It is going to make sure
    that the range--that, you know, we are going to get a much
    better idea of what type of range the system can work. We know
    the precision is there. So what we are going to take away from
    the testing is more assurity when it comes to what is the
    range, you know, the max range, the system, what is the
    precision of the system, and so far, we are very pleased with
    the progress.
        Senator Shelby. General, how is the development going on in
    the sensor integration display for the heads up display
    component of the system?
        General McConville. Well, the heads up display for--I want
    to make sure----
        Senator Shelby. The integrated visual augmentation--
        General McConville. Well the integrated visual augmentation
    system is transformational. It is coming along very, very well.
    It is probably one of the most transformational systems that we
    have in that we are able to fuse night vision capability with
    an infrared capability. But more importantly, it provides
    situational awareness to our soldiers that we have never had
    before. And the future will be that soldiers will be able to
    fight with this system, they will be able to rehearse with this
    system. They will actually be able to train with this system in
    virtual reality.
        Senator Shelby. Madam Secretary, quickly, in the area of
    production, some of us are concerned that some of the proposed
    delays in building things with our industrial base, you know,
    this could be a problem. What is the Army doing to ensure that
    the industrial base will remain viable for these programs if
    you slow-walk some of them?
        Secretary Wormuth. Well, Senator, very quickly, I would say
    I think the primary thing we are doing is having Army Materiel
    Command undertake a 15 year plan to essentially try to align
    our future requirements and make sure that our organic
    industrial base and the commercial industrial base can meet
    those needs over time. That is the primary----
        Senator Shelby. Keeping that industrial base together is
    very critical, is it not?
        Secretary Wormuth. Absolutely. We have to be able to have
    that industrial base to make all of the new next generation
    systems that the Chief was mentioning. And as you know,
    ensuring, frankly, the cybersecurity of our suppliers and our
    industrial base is also a key issue that we have to get after.
        Senator Shelby. Part of it. Thank you. Thank you, Mr.
    Chairman.
        Senator Tester. Thank you, Senator Shelby. Senator Leahy.
        Senator Leahy. Thank you very much. And thank you for
    having the hearing. And thank you both for appearing. General
    McConville, You may find it unusual that in an Appropriations
    committee meeting there may be questions that sounds parochial,
    but I think this has a broader meaning. The Vermont National
    Guard's Mt. Calvary Battalion opened every position to women,
    it can recruit women directly to any position. I believe it is
    the first Army National Guard Cavalry Unit at that level in the
    Nation do so.
        I visited Bravo Troop from that battalion. They were here
    at the U.S. Capitol following the January 6th insurrection. And
    now they are deployed overseas. It is a remarkable feat I
    think. Anyway, I am very impressed by it. The challenging
    nature reminds me why many of us supported the removal of
    barriers to women serving as well as all sorts of soldiers of
    different walks of life. I have always felt the Army is
    strongest when it finds the best soldier for the job, not the
    soldier who meets certain preconceived notions.
        So how does the Department's budget request support the
    recruitment and retention of soldiers from diverse backgrounds
    to a unit like Vermont's Mt. Calvary?
        General McConville. Yes, sir, I think the point is well
    taken. You know, we are in a competition--in fact, we are in a
    war for talent in the United States. We want the best and
    brightest to come into the military. We want the military to
    represent the diversity of the Nation. And we are doing that by
    having the right leadership with the right background. So if
    you want to take a look and see who is commanding, recruiting
    command is a person of diversity so people can look up to see
    people like them.
        Our recruiters come with diversity so someone can talk to
    them if they want to be in the infantry, if they want to be in
    the armor. And from where we sit is we want everyone to have an
    opportunity, and we are appealing to them, and we are giving
    opportunities at every level so people can look up and see
    people who look like them. And that is how we keep the
    diversity in the Army.
        Senator Leahy. I appreciate that. I look at a place like
    New England where it is getting harder and harder to recruit. I
    would urge you to empower local recruiters and Adjutants
    General as much as you can. Madam Secretary, the U.S. military
    has long been at the forefront of energy revolutions. We all
    know making energy cheaper and less supply line intensive makes
    a military force more capable.
        The President has been investing in clean energy and energy
    efficient technology a priority for every part of the U.S.
    Government. This Committee has even supported research with the
    Army Corps on energy efficiency technology over the years
    because it would free up money for other things. How does your
    request support development of clean energy and energy
    efficient technology?
        Secretary Wormuth. Thank you, Senator. Within our budget,
    we are trying to do a few different things to try to help us
    advance clean energy, and particularly in terms of our vehicle
    fleets. You know, we are exploring where we can look at hybrid
    vehicles potentially, how we can increase electrification in
    our vehicle fleet. We are looking at trying to use battery
    powered where we can. So there are a variety of efforts that we
    are trying to look at across all of our different types of
    vehicles to work with clean energy.
        We are also, you know, again, looking at other ways that
    our installations can be more energy efficient. We are doing
    quite a bit to look at where we can use solar power, for
    example, or wind power at our installations. I was just at Fort
    Hood and saw the solar panel fields there, for example. So we
    have a number of different places where we are trying to
    advance and go more towards clean energy.
        Senator Leahy. And the solar panel field, you wouldn't have
    seen a few years ago?
        Secretary Wormuth. That is probably true. I actually grew
    up in Texas and I don't recall seeing solar panels there.
        Senator Leahy. Thank you. Mr. Chairman, I have a question
    which I will submit for the record for the General. It is
    about--it is a little bit involved on construction issues, but
    I really do want an answer. And I know you will supply one.
        General McConville. Yes, Senator, I sure will.
        Senator Leahy. Thank you.
        Senator Tester. Thank you, Senator Leahy. Senator Moran.
        Senator Moran. Chairman, thank you. Madam Secretary,
    General McConville, welcome. Congratulations on your new
    position as Secretary, and for your long distinguished service,
    General McConville. I am going to visit Germany and Poland in
    the near future, and I will see transnational training
    exercises focused on Russian deterrence. We face lots of
    challenges around the globe. Our focus is sometimes shifted by
    necessity and by changing circumstances. What should be my take
    away? What do you hope I see and come back confirmed of the
    importance of what we are doing?
        Secretary Wormuth. I want to make sure my mic is on. Well,
    Senator, I think what I would hope that you would see is, is a
    couple of things. First of all, I hope you will see the close
    partnerships we have with our land forces in Europe. And
    obviously, you know, NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)
    is our center of gravity there. You know, our enhanced forward
    battalions with NATO are very important. And from an Army
    perspective, I hope you will see the value added that the
    forward element of the 5th Corps that we have now put in
    Poland, what that is doing to again bring our partners together
    and present a strong deterrent to the Russians. That is what I
    would ask that you look. Chief may have additional----
        General McConville. I agree with the Secretary. I hope you
    see peace through strength, and that strength comes from a
    strong military, a strong Army, and strong allies and partners.
    And I was just over there last week. We hosted a conference for
    European armies, had 32 Chiefs of Staffs from all the countries
    coming together. They want American leadership. They want to be
    good allies and partners with us. They want to have a strong
    friendship.
        And I think the way we deter others who wish us harm is by
    having all that come together. And in the training is
    important. Just like any professional team, you have got to
    train, you have got to rehearse, you have got to prepare, and
    that is where that strength comes from.
        Senator Moran. Thank you both. General McConville, given
    the rapid modernization of Russia and China's armed forces, I
    have some concern that the Army's budget dropped significantly
    below what is necessary to modernize a full brigade of Abrams
    tanks each year. If Congress provides additional funding for
    Abrams production, can you assure us that you will keep the
    Abrams production, at least at the level of one brigade a year?
        General McConville. What I can assure, Senator, is on my
    unfunded requirement list. And if we do receive additional
    money, we will prioritize that and go after those unfunded
    requirements.
        Senator Moran. What is our capabilities of ascertaining or
    making certain that the active and guard units that are
    scheduled to upgrade those tanks receive them on time?
        General McConville. Well, that is why we want--you know,
    that is why it is part of my unfunded requirement is to make
    sure--you know, we have had to make some tough decisions in the
    Army based on priorities. And we are--when I look at the Abrams
    tank that is not legacy to me. I see that as an enduring
    requirement. We also have modernization requirements which are
    the six modernization priorities. But the Abrams tank is going
    to be here for a while. And we have incrementally improved it
    and we need it for the future. But we also need to modernize
    the Army. And we are going to have to make the, you know, tough
    decisions based on the resources we get. And we will do that on
    the priorities.
        Senator Moran. Secretary, digital design and engineering
    has become an important resource for weapon system development
    and sustainment. It has already proven its ability to increase
    sustainment efforts on legacy platforms and I think we will
    play a major role in the design of future defense programs. Can
    you discuss the importance of making these digital designs more
    accessible to service members to give them the tools to
    increase readiness on legacy combat vehicles? And how does the
    Department plan to invest in this new technology as we develop
    this next generation of warfighting platforms?
        Secretary Wormuth. Senator, what I would say is certainly
    incorporating digital designs into our prototyping and
    modernization process is very, very important. And frankly, we
    are trying to bring in as many different types of new
    techniques to help us be more innovative as possible. So, for
    example, I think that we are using digital design as we look at
    the new optionally manned fighting vehicle, for example. And
    there are undoubtedly other programs within our 31 plus 4 where
    we are making use of that. I have not been able to dive in-
    depth into how we are using digital design, but again, I know
    we are trying to be much more innovative.
        We are collaborating with various universities, for
    example, with companies, you know, smaller startup companies in
    Austin, for example, where we have Austin--or where we have
    Futures Command. So we are very much trying to bring things
    like digital design into our process.
        Senator Moran. I hope to have you as a guest in Kansas
    where we can demonstrate that technology.
        Secretary Wormuth. I would welcome that.
        Senator Moran. Thank you, ma'am.
        Senator Tester. Thank you, Senator Moran. I will get you as
    you entered the room, Senator Shaheen.
        Secretary Shaheen. Well, thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank
    you, Secretary Wormuth and General McConville, for your
    service. One of the new potential areas of conflict, and
    certainly of a lot of other activities, is the Arctic. And so
    it is very important that we know as much as possible and have
    as much research as possible about the Arctic. One of the labs
    in this country that does that research is in Hanover, New
    Hampshire. It is the Cold Regions Research and Engineering Lab.
    So can you just speak to whether, I guess this is for you,
    Secretary Wormuth, whether you think the Army Corps of
    Engineers labs are uniquely situated to confront the challenges
    that the Army and the joint force are going to be facing in the
    Arctic?
        Secretary Wormuth. Senator, I think, yes, the Corps of
    Engineer labs are very helpful to us as we explore these new
    environments and what kind of requirements they are going to
    present to us. The Arctic is absolutely becoming an arena of
    competition between the Russians and the Chinese, for example.
    You know, Russia in particular has been enhancing its military
    posture in the region. China is definitely engaging in
    exploration more oriented towards natural resources.
        And as we think--as you know, the Army has put forward an
    Arctic strategy. And as we think about building that out and
    what kind of formations and gear that we are going to need, I
    think we will want to leverage the Corps of Engineer labs, and
    again, other, you know, partnerships with universities to help
    us think that through.
        Secretary Shaheen. But yet the budget request cuts the
    Army's research and development. So can you speak to how we are
    going to continue the research that we need to do if we are
    making those cuts?
        Secretary Wormuth. Senator, I think, you know, again, I
    would want to look carefully at what exactly the labs have to
    offer, and the resources associated with that. I was not yet in
    the Secretary position, as you know, when our budget was made.
    But we have had to make very difficult choices. Again, as we
    balance readiness, people, and modernization, we have had to
    make some difficult choices. But I would certainly look into
    that and be happy to talk with you.
        Secretary Shaheen. Thank you. General McConville, do you
    have anything to add to that?
        General McConville. Well, I do have is, as the Secretary
    said, you know, we have put a new strategy for regaining
    dominance in the Arctic. It is a place that we really haven't
    taken a hard look at. You know, we have got a great State of
    Alaska. We have troops up there. But we see us operating more
    in the Arctic than we have in the past. So we are going to have
    to have that capability.
        We are developing equipment, we are developing
    organizations that can do that. We are going to recruit the
    right people that can operate in that environment, make sure
    they have the right clothing, and the right capabilities. But
    we see that as a place in the future that we need to be. And as
    I said, I have met with our European allies and the Arctic
    States are very interested in working with us on those
    capabilities.
        Secretary Shaheen. Thank you. The enhanced night vision
    goggles, the vernacular ENVG, is currently being fielded and it
    has received really positive reviews. I know about this because
    we make it in New Hampshire, but I understand the fiscal year
    2022 request is approximately $218 million, which is less than
    what we had been projecting. So can you tell me, does the Army
    still plan to make those investments for the ENVG in 2023?
        General McConville. Well, Senator, as you know, those--the
    troops really like those goggles. They are extremely good. And,
    you know, we are developing two systems, the enhanced night
    vision goggles, Bravo, which that is called, which our troops--
    it is great investments. We are also developing the IVAS
    system, which is a more sophisticated system. But that enhanced
    night vision goggles process is still going to be around. It is
    very, very good. It fuses both night vision and flare
    capabilities. Some incredible videos out there of the troops
    talking about it. So we are committed to moving forward there.
    Again, there are tough decisions being made on the budget and
    they are reflected in our budget.
        Secretary Shaheen. I have a question which I will submit
    for the record on IVAS (Integrated Visual Augmented System),
    but on Afghanistan just briefly because I have only a little
    bit of time left, will there be a change in our budget
    requirements for Afghanistan because we are going to be leaving
    earlier than anticipated? I understand we expect all troops to
    be out by the end of July.
        Secretary Wormuth. Senator, our budget reflects, you know,
    the expected savings from the retrograde out of Afghanistan. I
    think as the Department determines exactly what the posture is
    going to look at in support of the over the horizon
    requirements, you know, we may have to look at what the
    resources are going to be attached to that.
        Secretary Shaheen. And can you tell me what the savings
    are?
        Secretary Wormuth. I don't have that----
        Secretary Shaheen [continuing]. don't immediately put those
    dollars into the over the horizon.
        Secretary Wormuth. I don't have that number off the top of
    my head, Senator, but I am happy to take the question for the
    record and get back to you.
        Secretary Shaheen. Okay, thank you. Thank you, Mr.
    Chairman.
        Senator Tester. Thanks, Senator Shaheen. Senator Blunt.
        Senator Blunt. Thank you. Thank you, Chairman. Secretary
    Wormuth, congratulations on your nomination and confirmation as
    Secretary. Look forward to the work you will be doing there.
    Our biggest base in Missouri is Fort Leonard Wood. It is in
    many ways the schoolhouse for a lot of the military right now,
    principally Army still, but I think on any given day, there are
    probably more people from different services there than any
    base in the country. I hope you can get that on your list to
    visit and you will find the community incredibly supportive of
    the fort and what happens there. And General McConville, thank
    you again for your service and for being here today. With the
    future budget necessities, I don't think that includes, is
    likely to include a basic combat training reduction or not. I
    would like both of your thoughts on that.
        And if there is a basic combat reduction there, we are
    talking about Fort Leonard, where the original goal at Fort
    Leonard Wood was basic training. We have gone way beyond that,
    but still an important part of what happens there. There are
    three other basic training facilities. If there is a reduction,
    I think people representing those four facilities, certainly
    me, would advocate that that reduction be proportional rather
    than eliminating training in one base.
        So one, do you think there will be a reduction? And two, do
    you have thoughts on what would happen in those four bases in
    training if there is a reduction? General.
        Secretary Wormuth. Senator, to my knowledge at this time,
    we are not contemplating a reduction in basic training at this
    time, but I think, you know, certainly if we had to do that, it
    would be concerning. But I think we would want to look at what
    makes most sense in terms of efficiency and effectiveness in
    terms of managing our resources.
        So I would want to look at the four places where we do
    basic training and basically run the numbers to see where, if
    we had to reduce basic training, how we could do that most
    efficiently. It might be that doing that proportionately would
    be most efficient, but it might be that it made more sense to
    perhaps consolidate our training in, you know, some less than
    all four locations. So I think I would want to look at that.
        Senator Blunt. General, do you have a view of that?
        General McConville. Yes, Senator. My view is, as I
    discussed, you know, we have got an active strength of 485,000,
    a little over 1 million. We think that is required. We think
    the training to support that is required. And so we do not
    anticipate, unless we have some type of resource reduction, to
    cut basic training. I think we need the Army we have given the
    situation that we see around the world.
        Senator Blunt. Well, if you do cut a location, we could
    discuss at that time. But clearly, if you get into an up tempo,
    again, having to start another location from what would have
    become a dramatic reduction would make a difference. And while
    we are on Fort Leonard Wood, we have made substantial
    commitments there in the last four budgets toward the Fort
    Leonard Wood Community Army Hospital. It was the number--it was
    number one on the Surgeon General--on the Army Surgeon
    General's list and the overall Force Surgeon General's list for
    a long time. And we are well into that process.
        I think the monies being requested for fiscal year 2022 to
    finish that hospital really matters to the base and really
    matters to the community. On the--General, as we withdraw from
    Afghanistan, what impact is that going to have on our rotation
    of forces which have been Afghanistan, Korea, Europe and
    elsewhere? Still thinking rotating--is the best way to handle
    that?
        General McConville. I think, Senator, you know, what is
    being done is really a global posture review. We will take a
    look at what type of forces we need. There is some value in
    having rotational forces. There is value in having permanent
    forces. There is value in having what we call prepositioned
    stocks, so the troops rotate in and fall on those equipment.
    And we are in the process of--the Administration is having that
    discussion. And what we will do is lay out those options based
    on what it looks like. And so when you look at Afghanistan,
    there is discussions of what is over the horizon, you know,
    what does the future look like in the Middle East.
        So that has to be looked at. The Administration is taking a
    look at what does the Indo-Pacific look like and then certainly
    what Europe looks like. All those will come into discussion,
    and we will provide the appropriate best military advice on how
    to accomplish that mission. But I do see some rotational
    forces. I don't see all rotational forces.
        Senator Blunt. Alright. At least one of the questions I
    will ask for the record would be as we pull the contingency
    overseas account into the regular budget, what impact that has
    on our flexibility when we have something we don't anticipate?
    And I am out of time, so I will ask that for the record and
    look forward to your response on that. Thank you, Chairman.
        Senator Tester. Thank you, Senator Blunt. Senator Baldwin.
        Secretary Baldwin. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The upcoming
    JLTV (Joint Light Tactical Vehicle) recompete provides an
    opportunity to seek upgrades and to improve the vehicle's
    capabilities. I am particularly interested in efforts to
    transition the JLTV to electric power trains, considering the
    advantages it would provide in future environments and because
    it would support the President's interests in promoting green
    energy. I know you just had a little discussion about
    electrification within the Army. Why is that JLTV program not
    pursuing a more aggressive transition to electrification? And
    is this something that you are considering for the recompete?
        Secretary Wormuth. Senator Baldwin, again, I have not had
    the opportunity to dive deeply into some of these programs. I
    know that the follow on production for the JLTV is on track and
    we are looking at, you know, how to move forward with that
    particular contract. I would ask General McConville to try to
    speak to your question of how the Army has been thinking about
    it in terms of electrification efforts.
        Secretary Baldwin. Please.
        General McConville. I think the Senators, what we are
    seeing--you know, we have efforts going for electrification. We
    have got a reconnaissance vehicle that we are actually trying
    to make fully electric. These tend to be smaller vehicles
    rather than larger vehicles. So, you know, and there is value
    in that. And first of all, reduces our ability to divide fuel,
    which we like to do. That keeps, you know, trucks off the road
    in those type things. But they are also very, very quiet, which
    is helpful when you are maneuvering on the battlefield.
        Some of the bigger vehicles in the joint light tactical
    vehicle--first of all, that is a great vehicle. It is very good
    for the troops. Is we are looking at probably a hybrid, you
    know, how do you reduce fuel in a hybrid? You know, and we are
    looking at bigger vehicles too. You go to hybrid first. We are
    concerned and we have people looking at electrification, but on
    the larger combat vehicles, what can you do in the near term?
    What can you do in the long term?
        And in some cases, we are not sure we can get to fully
    electrification, but can we get to a hybrid that cuts fuel by
    25 percent? Can we reduce how they operate at idle, which, you
    know, saves fuel? And so we have folks taking a look at that.
    But as far as going to a full electrification of that vehicle,
    I don't think we are there yet.
        Secretary Baldwin. Okay. On modernization, I know the Army
    is divesting from legacy programs to fund other priorities, but
    the JLTV certainly is not a legacy program or platform. Yet
    over the last 4 years, the Army has often characterized the
    platform as a smaller MRAP (Mine Resistant Ambush Protected) or
    designed for the last war. The requirements that drove the
    creation of the JLTV do not support this claim, and the program
    was never designed to be the next MRAP for Iraq and
    Afghanistan. To their credit, the Marines have looked to the
    JLTV in their shift to supporting the Navy against peer
    adversaries, using the JLTV as the platform to support new
    shore to ship and long range fire capabilities. Are you
    familiar with these Marine Corps initiatives, and are you
    exploring any similar efforts at this point in time?
        General McConville. Yes, I am aware what the Marine Corps
    is doing. They have got some innovative ideas with the joint
    light tactical vehicle. What we are looking at is how we bring
    it into the force. And our numbers are significantly larger
    than what the Marine Corps is doing with the joint light
    tactical vehicle. That we have goals set up there. And really
    what happens, that is an enduring vehicle. That is not a legacy
    vehicle.
        I just want to make sure people--because we have kind of
    had it characterized there is legacy, there is enduring, and
    there is the modernization efforts we have. So I see you really
    three categories as we discussed. The joint light tactical
    vehicle is an enduring vehicle. It is something that we need in
    the future. But it all comes down to, we are trying to give you
    all the best Army we can give you with the resources we have.
        Secretary Baldwin. Okay, I just would point out that JLTV
    continues to sort of act as a bill payer for other programs in
    the PB (President's Budget) 2022, resulting in about $120
    million unfunded requirement for the Army. So that is of
    concern. Let me just add, I think I have limited time left,
    that Senator Shelby asked earlier about the industrial base.
    And I believe, Secretary, you said that there was a report in
    the works from Materiel Command. I would like to get briefed on
    that report when it is available. And so I look forward to
    receiving that.
        Secretary Wormuth. Yes, Senator, it is in development now
    and we would be happy to discuss it when it is complete.
        Secretary Baldwin. Alright, thanks.
        Senator Tester. Thank you, Senator Baldwin. Senator
    Boozman.
        Senator Boozman. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you all
    for being here, and we really do appreciate your service to our
    country in so many different ways. As ranking on MILCON
    (Military Construction) of the Appropriations subcommittee, I
    know the importance of investing in quality of life projects
    such as barracks and family housing, as well as the impact of
    increased morale among the soldiers and their families, that
    that generates.
        The strength of the Army is people, and certainly I know
    that you all agree that that should be right at the top of the
    list regarding priorities. Madam Secretary, given a tough
    budget cycle this year, how do we adequately address the
    funding for America's family housing and other quality of life
    issues that are so important?
        Secretary Wormuth. Senator Boozman, you are absolutely
    right that housing for our soldiers and our families is very,
    very important. And the Army has undertaken a number of
    initiatives in the last few years to try to make sure that we
    are providing the kinds of housing for our families and
    soldiers that they need. You know, we have consolidated, for
    example, oversight of our privatized housing with Army Materiel
    Command and Installations Command. In terms of barracks in
    particular, we have a plan to invest about $11.5 billion over
    10 years to refurbish those barracks that are not as in good
    condition as some of the others.
        And for example, I was just at Fort Hood a week or two ago
    and I saw some of our newer barracks, which I thought were
    quite satisfactory. But some of the barracks, frankly, that
    need to be modernized. And we are trying to do that as quickly
    as we can in the context of a flattening budget.
        So there have been some difficult choices. I think there
    are some barracks facilities, for example, on General
    McConville's unfunded requirements list. But we do have a plan
    to try to move forward as quickly as possible to make sure that
    our soldiers have the housing they deserve.
        Senator Boozman. Very good. And we appreciate the list,
    General. You all are not bashful at all, and hopefully we can
    be of help in securing some additional funds along those lines.
    General, over the past 4 years, the Army has worked tirelessly
    to restore its readiness levels, which again is so important.
    It is fragile, if not adequately sustained. It can decline very
    quickly, as we have seen at different times in the past.
        You mentioned the Army is implementing a foundation
    readiness model that will prioritize training at the company
    level. I guess the question is, do we have enough training
    capacity and resources on the active duty installations, or do
    we need to perhaps augment those installations with regional
    maneuver training centers to meet the intent of your
    foundational readiness model?
        General McConville. Well, Senator, I think we have the
    appropriate amount of training areas available. You know, what
    we are finding is this is a time for soldiers to train. And
    what we are trying to do is we are trying to focus--you know,
    if you only have so much time and so much resources, where do
    you spend those resources? I argue that you do that when you
    have new troops. You have new troops coming in units.
        We bring in about 125,000 soldiers every single year. They
    have to get the basics. They have to get the training. They
    live in our organizations we call squads. And so you get the
    squad straight, you get the platoon straight, you get the
    company straight, and then we can take our battalions and
    brigades to our national training centers and our combat
    training centers and making sure they get the higher level type
    training. But if you don't get the foundation right, it is like
    building a house on a poor foundation.
        It may look good in the top, but it is not good in the
    bottom. So that is the shift we are doing right now with the
    time and resources we have available.
        Senator Boozman. So with Afghanistan coming down, will the
    up tempo decrease or will it be maintained or----
        General McConville. Well, the amount of troops we have in
    Afghanistan is pretty small. I mean, we are talking, you know,
    2,500 troops at the time. That is not a tremendous amount of
    troops when you take a look at where we were at. So a lot of
    people say, hey, is that going to change a whole lot of things?
    Not too much for the Army. The 2,500, you know, brigade plus,
    you know, brigade minus is not a huge amount of troops.
        Senator Boozman. Very good. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        Senator Tester. Thank you, Senator Boozman. Senator Hoeven.
        Senator Hoeven. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. General, the Army
    National Guard is expected to deploy and fight alongside the
    active duty counterparts. Army currently trains on the MQ-1C
    Gray Eagle out of Fort Huachuca in Arizona. And I understand
    there you are having trouble getting enough training for the
    active duty members, just the volume. And so my understanding
    is, it is also difficult to get Guardsmen through that
    training. So are we training enough soldiers to operate the
    Gray Eagle in a timely fashion? My first question.
        General McConville. I think so, Senator. I am sure we could
    train more, but at least the amount of aircraft we have, which
    is the trade off, is that those are going to use them--you
    know, the other thing with the Gray Eagle as we look to the
    future is that, and we see it contested air defense
    environment, we are going to have to take a look at what the
    utilization of that aircraft is.
        As we take a look at our intelligence, surveillance, and
    reconnaissance aircraft that we have in the Force, many were
    designed for what we call irregular warfare, counterterrorism,
    counterinsurgency, where there is not a big air defense
    capability. So as we look in the future, we are going to take a
    hard look at what type of aircraft we have doing that mission.
        Senator Hoeven. Right. But the Army National Guard doesn't
    have its own MQ-1C aircraft or great--what are they called,
    Gray Eagle, excuse me, aircraft. They don't have it.
        General McConville. That is right.
        Senator Hoeven. So it seems to me you have got bit of a
    bottleneck in terms of just getting your active duty forces
    through level and training guard. Then the Guards are supposed
    to support that mission, which they do tremendously well, and
    many others, but they don't have the Gray Eagle. So both in
    terms of training and then actually having units that have the
    Gray Eagle, how do we address that? Because you get both the
    training issue, but you also have an equipment issue when you
    want the Guard supporting your active duty forces and you have
    to have that equipment to train on.
        General McConville. Well, that is what we are taking a look
    at, Senator, and we can take that for the record and come back
    to you, because I think--I saw, you know, as I look at where we
    are going in the future, we have got to come up with a--as the
    strategy has changed, we need to come up with the way we are
    going to do that.
        Senator Hoeven. Right. But you got that equipment across
    all your battle groups, active duty, but nothing in the Guard
    have you got training. So it is something we do need to help
    you address.
        General McConville. Yes, we will take a look at it.
        Senator Hoeven. Thank you, General. Appreciate that. Madam
    Secretary, so obviously unmanned is a big issue, and then also
    countering unmanned aircraft, and then various forces deal with
    it, you know, in different ways. Obviously in the Army sphere,
    you have got the small, unmanned aircraft that you have to deal
    with for your troops. You operate the Joint Counter Small
    Unmanned Aircraft System Office, which works with DOD
    (Department of Defense) to counter small unmanned UAS--we have
    one of the UAS sites--as a matter of fact, the first one
    established in North Dakota, the upper plains, the test site,
    or Great Plains test site I should say.
        We work a lot with Customs and Border Protection, too,
    because we have got 900 miles of border responsibility on
    counter UAS. So how are you working that issue? And how can we
    be helpful to and continue to develop this counter small UAS
    arms issue?
        Secretary Wormuth. Thank you, Senator. Certainly we are,
    you know, the entire Department of Defense is concerned about
    the UAS problem. All you have to do is look at and see how
    drones were used in Nagorno Karabakh, for example, to see the
    potential threat that they pose both, to our forces overseas,
    but potentially here at home. We are the executive agent for
    the joint program office that is responsible for looking at
    counter small UAS capabilities, and the Office of the Secretary
    of Defense, which we work with closely, is actually responsible
    for liaising, if you will, with the interagency, for example,
    with Department of Homeland Security and the Customs and Border
    Patrol.
        But we are working very closely with them, as well as with
    the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) to look at how best
    to counter those kinds of threats. And I think the Center of
    Excellence can be very helpful to us as we continue to work
    that hard problem.
        Senator Hoeven. So who would we link in with at your office
    or Army, who would be the right person for us to connect with
    to really talk about how we can do some partnering or provide
    some assistance in this effort?
        Secretary Wormuth. Well, you could certainly talk to us in
    our joint program office. And I think in terms of looking
    towards other partners in the Federal family, you would
    probably want to talk to the OSD (Office of the Secretary of
    Defense) Homeland Defense Office.
        Senator Hoeven. I mean, we have a ton of partners. I mean,
    Guard, active duty, military forces, Customs and Border
    Protection, the State--I mean, we have got a ton, NASA
    (National Aeronautics and Space Administration). So I am just
    trying to understand the best point person to make sure we have
    clicked in with you in terms of what Army's needs are.
        Secretary Wormuth. Yes, I think our joint program office is
    the best belly button.
        Senator Hoeven. Thank you, Secretary. Thank you, Mr.
    Chairman.
        Senator Tester. Thank you, Senator Hoeven. Senator
    Murkowski.
        Senator Murkowski. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Madam
    Secretary, General, welcome. Thank you, Madam Secretary. I
    haven't had an opportunity to personally congratulate you so we
    did it over the phone. But nice to have you here. I appreciated
    the conversation that we had last week regarding the Arctic.
    And as Chairman, I feel like I have arrived when the Senator
    from New Hampshire asks the first Arctic question for the
    hearing. It is like, hallelujah, we are here. We have been here
    for a long while. And the military has recognized that,
    certainly the Army has recognized that. We have had an
    opportunity to talk about the Arctic strategy document that has
    been released. This is probably for both of you with regards to
    where--in the strategy, we note that the current unit
    distribution and alignment for Arctic operations may require
    configuration.
        The Army will evaluate and adjust its necessary tactical
    and operational headquarters and unit relationships to best
    support. So where are we in this? What specifically and when
    specifically can we see this evaluation moving forward, where
    in the organization is this review being considered, and let me
    know where we are with this alignment for Arctic operations?
        Secretary Wormuth. Senator Murkowski, it is nice to see you
    as well, and thank you for those congratulations. We are having
    now issued the Army Arctic strategy. We are really in the
    process of looking at exactly its implications in terms of what
    kind of units we might want to see in the Arctic, exactly what
    kinds of equipment they would need to carry out those roles.
    And I have to be briefed, frankly, in more detail myself in
    terms of where we are precisely in our thinking. So why don't I
    ask if General McConville can speak in a little bit more detail
    to your timelines.
        General McConville. Senator, as we lay out in the strategy,
    we have an administrative headquarters right now in Alaska. We
    see that becoming an operational headquarters. How that
    actually kind of works out, we have got other operational
    headquarters similar to maybe what is in Italy right now. It is
    not a division, but it is an operational headquarters, has the
    ability to respond and command and control troops. That is what
    General Eifler will set up and that is in the process of being
    done.
        We are taking a look at how we equip really the Striker
    Brigade with the appropriate equipment, because the strikers
    are a great capability, but it is not really designed to
    operate 12 months a year up in Alaska. So we are taking a look
    at what that looks like and how we put that capability. We are
    also taking a look at--I was up in Natick, which is developing
    some really high speed cold weather gear. And that is the type
    of, gear we would like to get to that brigade so they can truly
    operate. They do a lot of great work up there, but how do we do
    that?
        And then even looking at what type of people do we recruit
    for that brigade? You know, people that live there. You know
    that we can reach out to people that would be very--we really
    want to go and work in that environment. So the States and
    certainly Alaska, where we can write contracts. If you want--we
    will guarantee you are going to serve in this area. You can do
    those type things.
        We are taking a look at a, potentially a multi-main task
    force. What that looks like, you know, is we have the
    capability for anti-access area denial capability, working that
    with NORTHCOM. So all these things are kind of coming together.
    And as we do the posture review, as we look at the resources
    available, that will all drive this as we move out over the
    next couple of years.
        Senator Murkowski. Well, it is really encouraging to hear
    you say this, because it is really all encompassing. It is
    looking at the assets, the equipment that we need to have. And
    I want a little bit of an update on where we are with this
    bridging the gap between the SUSV (Small Unit Support Vehicle)
    and the CATV (Cold-weather All-Terrain Vehicle). We recognize
    that you have got to have the equipment, but if you don't have
    the gloves and the gear and everything that you need in an
    Arctic environment, it is pretty tough even to operate the
    equipment that we are talking about. So things like clothing
    are actually pretty important.
        So, again, it was good to hear Senator Shaheen even
    acknowledge that. But I am really intrigued about the focus on
    what you are calling focused recruiting, looking at men and
    women who perhaps come from a part of the country where it is
    mountainous, it is cold. You have got, perhaps not Arctic
    conditions, but you are used to the cold.
        I think we recognize that part of the quality of life
    initiatives that we deal with in a place like Alaska, it is
    really hard with certain individuals and their families when
    you have never, ever, ever had an exposure to the cold, to the
    dark, to snow, and then we plant you there and say, go off and
    do your job. And it is challenging. And I think we see this in
    some of the issues that we have been facing. We have had an
    opportunity to talk about this spike in soldier suicide.
        That is something that we have got to get our arms around.
    But I really appreciate that from a strategy perspective, it
    really is a much more broad and encompassing. I have kind of
    dangled the question about the SUSV and the CATV. I am over
    time. But if you have a quick update on that?
        General McConville. I know right now we are in the process
    of--and I have got be careful--we will come back with an answer
    on that. I know we are going through the process right now, and
    I am kind of concerned if I talk about the process I might not
    be doing what I should be doing. We will come back with an
    answer. And I know we are working on that right now.
        Senator Murkowski. I appreciate that, General. Thank you,
    Mr. Chairman.
        Senator Tester. Thank you, Senator Murkowski. As the Arctic
    becomes more and more real, which is real right now, the points
    you bring up are certainly valid and sign me up. That is all I
    got to say. I don't think I would meet the qualifications you
    need in the Army right now, but what the hell.

                         ADDITIONAL COMMITTEE QUESTIONS

        We are going to close this out right now, and I really
    appreciate your testimony here today. Senators may submit
    additional written questions. And of course, we would ask you
    to answer those in a reasonable period of time.
        [The following questions were not asked at the hearing, but
    were submitted to the Department for response subsequent to the
    hearing:]
                Questions Submitted to Hon. Christine E. Wormuth
                  Questions Submitted by Senator Richard Leahy
        Question. Given the administration's priority of taking care of our
    people, and the important role that unit cohesion plays in improving
    readiness, it is crucial that the Army take a fresh look at policies
    and practices that may not support all servicemembers. To that end,
    please outline what changes, if any, the Army has made, is making,
    plans to make, or is considering in order to:
        Improve diversity in leadership positions;
        Answer. In 2020, the Secretary of the Army (SA) and the Chief of
    Staff of the Army (CSA) announced an effort entitled ``Project
    Inclusion.'' Project Inclusion operationalizes the Army People
    Strategy: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion by organizing and leveraging
    resources across the Army to rapidly advance Assistant Secretary of the
    Army for Manpower and Reserve Affairs ASA(M&RA) prioritized efforts.
    The ASA(M&RA) signed the Army People Strategy: Diversity, Equity and
    Inclusion on September 1, 2020. The Army People Strategy fulfills the
    fiscal year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act, Section 529
    mandate for the military services to develop a diversity and inclusion
    strategic plan by December 20, 2020. The five main goals of the plan
    include Leader Commitment, Talent Management, Organizational Structure,
    Training and Education, and Equitable and Inclusive Environment.
        As this year continues, within the talent management initiates, the
    Army Talent Management Task Force (TMTF) has established programs
    seeking to address diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Programs
    like the Command Assessment Program (CAP) provide the Army ways to
    improve opportunities for under-represented populations. The CAP
    incorporates active measures to reduce opportunities for bias by
    conducting double-blind interviews, conducting anti-bias training with
    voting panels, and anonymizing files presented to voting panels.
        In addition, the Career Mapping and Succession Planning tool is
    currently under design. This tool will interface with the Army Talent
    Alignment Process (marketplace) and Soldier Talent Profile to recommend
    future assignments using individual knowledge, skills, and behaviors to
    indicate where individuals should take military and professional
    courses, seek training, pursue a new assignment, or take other career
    actions in order to advise individuals on achieving their career goals.
    When reversed, the Career Mapping algorithm is used for Succession
    Planning, to look at the population identified as best fit for these
    positions. The identification of these talent pools early on can be
    used to adjust policies and remove obstacles to a talented and diverse
    population being considered for key leadership positions at all levels.
        Question. Improve diversity retention at all levels;
        Answer. In response to the 21 May 2020 SA/CSA Dual Signed memo
    addressing diversity in the Army, the ASA(M&RA) directed an Operational
    Planning Team (OPT) to develop an Implementation Plan to Expand Diverse
    Talent in the Army Officer Corps which will guide the Army to new
    accomplishments which strengthen diversity and inclusion in the force.
    The operational planning team developed 20 initiatives to meet four
    objectives addressing how the Army will acquire, develop, employ, and
    retain diversity. It marks an acceleration of new people plans,
    programs, and policies aimed at expanding diversity and inclusion in
    the Officer Corps, the Warrant Officer Corps, and the Enlisted Corps.
    The Implementation Plan to Expand Diverse Talent in the Army Officer
    Corps was published on January 7, 2021. ASA(M&RA) has also developed
    OPTs to develop plans for our Enlisted, Warrant, and Civilian cohorts,
    and the Civilian Implementation Plan was published in January. The
    Implementation Plans for Warrant Officers and Enlisted Soldiers are in
    development.
        As a part of the Implementation Plan for the Officer Corps, the
    Army has implemented several initiatives as a part of its efforts to
    increase diversity across the ranks. Initiatives include the Urban
    Access Program (Aug 2020); a Combat Arms Outreach Pilot Program (Mar
    2021); Talent Based Branching at USMA and USACC (2019 & 2020);
    Incorporated Diversity and Inclusion education and training into PME
    (Apr 2021); started conducting the Department of the Army Career
    Engagement Survey (May 2020); Army ROTC Senior Officer Mentor Program
    (June 2021); Incentivize Select Sources of Commission Positions (June
    2021); and Incorporating Mentorship into the Army PME System (fiscal
    year 2021). Some of these initiatives will also positively impact the
    recruitment and retention of Army Civilians, Warrant Officers, and
    Enlisted Soldiers.
        Strengthening Cadet mentoring programs is also an Army focus within
    recruiting and retention. The goal of the cadet mentorship programs is
    to increase officer accessions and to help cadets make informed
    decisions about their future Army careers. Staffing a diverse mix of
    Army Officers and Non-Commissioned Officers to serve as faculty and
    mentors at United States Military Academy (USMA) and Reserve Officer
    Training Corps (ROTC) locations not only increases the visibility of
    Army professionals at our sources of commission, but can influence and
    enhance the cadets' understanding of various branches. Going forward,
    the Army Human Resource Command (HRC) continues to work with ASA(M&RA),
    DCS G-1, and the sources of commissions to assign best fit officers to
    positively support the strategic outcomes of the Army People Strategy.
        Question. Improve trainings, including sexual assault prevention,
    with input from women, LGBTQ servicemembers, BIPOC servicemembers, and
    sexual assault survivors.
        Answer. The Army SHARP Academy, at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, the
    proponent for SHARP training across the Army, is aware of DoD's
    research efforts to identify evidence-based practices to address the
    need for culturally-competent care for men, women, LGBTQ service
    members, BIPOC service members, and sexual assault survivors. Once
    those best practices have been identified/codified, the SHARP Academy
    will develop curricula needed to enhance training for the Army's Sexual
    Assault Response Coordinators (SARC), Victim Advocates (VA), and the
    total force. Currently, the SHARP Academy develops curricula with input
    from women and BIPOC service members. The curricula instruct Army
    advocates on how to care for sexual assault victims and sexual
    harassment complainants with dignity, respect and compassion regardless
    of their race, gender, orientation, religion or any other identifying
    characteristics. The SHARP Academy continues to train SHARP
    professionals to respond to all victims and complainants without
    judgment or segregated advocacy actions. As DoD releases future
    guidance and information pertaining to culturally-competent care, the
    Army will rapidly assimilate the information into SARC/VA training
    courses and will add additional content to the Army-wide training
    support package and SHARP Annual Refresher Training.
        Question. Increase availability and accessibility of mental health
    support services for servicemembers and their families, including
    services tailored specifically toward minority servicemembers.
        Answer. The U.S. Army supports the Defense Health Agency's
    Behavioral Health Diversity Working Group, which was recently chartered
    to support advancements in mental health services for women, LGBTQ, and
    ethnic minorities. The working group will offer clinical guidance to
    enhance the care provided for minorities. Additionally, since the onset
    of the COVID epidemic, virtual mental health has expanded to provide
    services within the comfort of patients' homes.
        This is particularly important for low-income families, many of
    whom are minorities. By eliminating the need to travel to an in-person
    appointment, beneficiaries have fewer barriers to seeking care.
        Question. Improve outreach to and support for minority
    servicemembers facing discrimination from within their units;
        Answer. Education, awareness, and bystander intervention are at the
    heart of the Army's efforts to combat racism. The Army is working to
    improve outreach and support to minority servicemembers facing
    discrimination. The Army has developed a ``Your Voice Matters''
    campaign, which is a listening session concept designed to develop
    atmospherics and determine any local and/or Army-wide diversity and
    inclusion policy requirements; demonstrate care and commitment to the
    well-being of our military and civilian personnel; and provide an
    opportunity for personnel to engage with concerns or questions about
    issues that impact their personal and professional lives. It has also
    assisted local command teams and the Army Headquarters to better
    understand diversity, equity, and inclusion issues currently affecting
    the Army and society writ large. As of July 13 2021, the Army has
    conducted 134 sessions with multiple servicemembers at 19 different
    locations. Further, the Army is updating Army Regulation (AR) 600-20,
    ``Army Command Policy,'' to improve the identification and resolution
    of discrimination issues through education, awareness, and bystander
    intervention efforts. The Army has also updated Equal Opportunity
    training to address racial issues and other related issues at all
    Professional Military Education (PME) levels, from junior Soldiers to
    General Officers.
        Question. Improve medical care for transgender servicemembers,
    women, and Black parents, particularly for transition care, pregnancy,
    and post-partum care.
        Answer. Army Medicine proudly serves all servicemembers and their
    beneficiaries, regardless of sexual orientation, race, or ethnicity.
    Since Executive Order 14004 (``Enabling All Qualified Americans to
    Serve Their Country in Uniform'') was signed in January 2021, the
    Army's Office of The Surgeon General (OTSG) has been coordinating with
    the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Defense Health Agency to
    improve care for our transgender Soldiers and our Soldiers with gender
    dysphoria, including modifying those policies that have a negative
    impact on these Soldiers. DoD recently updated two DoD policies to
    ensure that all Soldiers and applicants can serve freely in their self-
    identified gender.
        Further, as safety is a priority when caring for all Soldiers
    through pregnancy and post-partum care, per established clinical
    practice guidelines, ensuring specialty referral needs are met is a
    part of prenatal and post-partum care. The standard of care is applied
    to every servicemember and is tailored to the individual based on risk
    factors, including ethnicity.
                                     ______

                 Questions Submitted by Senator Lisa Murkowski
                               future of weapons
        Question. Secretary Wormuth, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs
    testified to our House counterparts in response to a specific question
    regarding maintaining a technological advantage that we are facing a
    rapid developmental convergence of an assortment of technologies
    including hypersonic weapons. He also said that ``if we do not put a
    lot of money towards developing [hypersonic weapons] to a level of
    capability to deploy the joint force, we will be at a significant
    disadvantage to those countries that do develop them.''
        Where does the Army see the biggest infrastructure or support
    challenges in developing our race to develop these weapons?
        Answer. The biggest infrastructure or support challenges for
    hypersonic weapon development fall into two general categories: (1) the
    immature commercial industrial base; and (2) the Department of Defense
    (DoD) test infrastructure.
        First, as part of the joint Army/Navy program, one of the Army's
    assigned missions is to transition the Common Hypersonic Glide Body
    (CHGB) technology from Sandia National Labs (SNL) to commercial
    industry. The Army is executing this responsibility through a
    competitive industrial base selection using a ``leader-follower''
    method with industry embedded with the government team at SNL. The
    industry team (the ``follower'') is learning to build the CHGBs from
    the scientists at SNL (the ``leader''). In parallel to the ongoing
    knowledge transfer activities, industry is building the necessary
    commercial production capability to support the CHGB demand signal.
    Upon completion of the commercial production facility, SNL will become
    the ``follower'' at the commercial facility with the commercial partner
    taking the role of the ``leader.'' The first CHGB produced wholly by
    industry will be delivered in fiscal year 2022.
        Second, the current test infrastructure for hypersonics is
    challenged by the limited number of locations and each location's
    available capacity. The hypersonic test need is a sub-set of the DoD
    test infrastructure, where all Services, as well as allied and partner
    nations, use the same assets across numerous programs, both hypersonic
    and conventional in nature. As the pace of hypersonic and long range
    missile testing accelerates, the test infrastructure must be expanded
    to meet projected demands.
        Question. What is the Army's current capacity to test hypersonic
    weapons and where are we doing so?
        Answer. The current capacity for testing hypersonic weapons is
    challenged by the combination of multiple DoD programs, both hypersonic
    and conventional, that are concurrently in test phases, as well as
    supporting allied and partner nations testing. The Army uses high
    demand/low quantity testing assets for hypersonic weapons, such as arc
    jet heaters, wind tunnels, static ground testing facilities, and
    dynamic ground test infrastructure. The facilities, which are limited
    in availability by location and capacity, are required to validate
    designs, complete component testing, and conduct end-to-end weapon
    system testing. These limitations create a challenge of balancing the
    demands of not only the Army's hypersonic needs, but also those of
    multiple Services. As the Army fields additional batteries, and new
    hypersonic technologies are developed across the Services, the
    facilities will continue to have issues with meeting the increased
    demand.
        Due to the long corridors required for flight tests, the Army and
    Navy use locations such as the Reagan Test Site-Kwajalein, Pacific
    Missile Range Facility, Hawaii, Pacific Spaceport Complex, Alaska, and
    the Cape Canaveral Spaceport Complex, Florida.
        Question. How does this budget request support the Army's ability
    to develop and test hypersonic weapons?
        Answer. The Army's fiscal year 2022 budget request for the Army's
    Long Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW) supports fabrication and assembly
    of major components of the system, including the missile stack, missile
    booster, and Common Hypersonic Glide Body (CHGB). The fiscal year 2022
    request also supports industrial base activities for the commercial
    production line building the CHGB and completion of the first
    commercially produced CHGBs. The fiscal year 2022 funds support
    continued software and hardware testing and systems integration
    activities for the Transporter Erector Launchers (TEL) and Battery
    Operations Center (BOC). The TELs and BOC will be fielded to the unit
    of action in the first quarter of fiscal year 2022 to begin Soldier
    training with the equipment.
        Following the fielding, software development and hardware testing
    will continue to support upcoming flight tests and validate the mission
    planning concepts of operation.
        The Army's fiscal year 2022 hypersonics budget request supports two
    major tests that will validate the configuration of the LRHW system.
    The Army will field the LRHW in fiscal year 2023, and Soldiers from the
    fielding unit will be deployed to support both of these tests. The Army
    will conduct these tests in conjunction with the Navy.
        The Navy's hypersonic budget also supports the Army's LRHW effort,
    as the Army leverages the Navy's development efforts in their
    Conventional Prompt Strike Program. The Army and Navy are partnered to
    execute hypersonics through use of a CHGB, common missile design,
    common mission planning system, and joint test opportunities.
                                     ______

                 Questions Submitted by Senator Lindsey Graham
                      paladin integrated management (pim)
        Question. Secretary Wormuth, The Army identified an Unfunded
    Requirement of $149.5 million for the Paladin Integrated Management
    (PIM) program that when coupled with the fiscal year 2022 President's
    Budget Request, would procure up to 36 sets of equipment. However, this
    is still only a little more than half of the full rate production
    volume specified in the DoD approved acquisition program baseline of 60
    sets per year. This lower volume will likely cause significant unit
    cost growth and workforce downsizing. Given this, can you tell me what
    the impact will be on fielding PIM to soldiers and on the industrial
    base by moving away from the current volumes of 44 to 48 PIM sets per
    year? Additionally, what analysis did the Army use to determine the
    Unfunded Requirement funding amount for this program?
        Answer. The impact of reducing to 25 PIM sets per year is that the
    Army will procure one less Brigade Combat Team (BCT) set of PIM in
    fiscal year 2022, delaying the fielding of PIM to one BCT when the
    fiscal year 2022 procurements are delivered in fiscal year 2025. There
    are no anticipated impacts to the industrial base given that 25 sets is
    above the Minimum Sustainment Rate for production.
        As for the Army's Unfunded PIM Requirement analysis, the Army
    forecasted in its fiscal year 2021 budget request the procurement of 43
    sets in fiscal year 2022. However, based on the reduced Army topline
    and competing Army modernization priorities, the Army reallocated PIM
    funding to higher priority modernization efforts. The Army's Unfunded
    Requirement amount of $149.5 million would restore the funding to its
    original fiscal year 2022 funding position and procure 43 sets.
                                     ______

               Questions Submitted to General James C. McConville
                  Questions Submitted by Senator Richard Leahy
        Question. Over the last year the Army National Guard has
    demonstrated quite visibly that they have a connection with nearly
    every community in America. They are friends and neighbors who deliver
    food during the pandemic, or guarantee the right to safe and peaceful
    protest, or are there with drinkable water when the flood waters wipe
    out every other road to a town. The key organizing point they use for
    all these missions and more are Readiness Centers, which serve as the
    physical center point--the infrastructure, if you will--for everything
    they do for their communities.
        After two decades of war, the list of Army construction and
    facility needs is extremely long, and there was a hearing last week to
    talk extensively about MilCon needs. But I wanted to hear from you,
    General, about what that construction means operationally.
        What is the significance to a Guard unit of an up-to-standards
    Readiness Center--meaning everything from meeting safety regulations to
    having bathrooms for women, which too many of our readiness centers do
    not--for performing its various missions?
        Answer. An ``up to standards'' Readiness Center is the result of an
    approved project that has been completed according to approved plans,
    specifications, criteria, and standards. These Readiness Centers allow
    Army National Guard units to store all equipment and materiel in one
    location for timely issuance to Soldiers and expedient mission
    readiness. This prevents the loss of valuable time spent retrieving
    units' equipment from geographically dispersed sites and facilities.
    ``Up to standards'' Readiness Centers are also designed to include
    facilities, such as locker rooms and restrooms, for all Soldiers. The
    Army fully acknowledges that substandard facilities negatively affect
    Soldier quality of life and thus, recruiting and retention. The Army is
    aiming for Readiness Centers that ensure all Soldiers are provided the
    space to accomplish all mission functions for a timely and efficient
    Army response. This includes infrastructure that supports all
    communication and data systems for training, readiness, and response
    needs. In summary, Readiness Centers that are ``up to standard''
    significantly increase the readiness of the National Guard.
        Question. Given the administration's priority of taking care of our
    people, and the important role that unit cohesion plays in improving
    readiness, it's crucial that the Army take a fresh look at policies and
    practices that may not support all servicemembers. To that end, please
    outline what changes, if any, the Army has made, is making, plans to
    make, or is considering in order to:
        Improve diversity in leadership positions;
        Answer. In 2020, the Secretary of the Army (SA) and the Chief of
    Staff of the Army (CSA) announced an effort entitled ``Project
    Inclusion.'' Project Inclusion operationalizes the Army People
    Strategy: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion by organizing and leveraging
    resources across the Army to rapidly advance Assistant Secretary of the
    Army for Manpower and Reserve Affairs ASA(M&RA) prioritized efforts.
    The ASA(M&RA) signed the Army People Strategy: Diversity, Equity and
    Inclusion on September 1, 2020. The Army People Strategy fulfills the
    fiscal year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act, Section 529
    mandate for the military services to develop a diversity and inclusion
    strategic plan by December 20, 2020. The five main goals of the plan
    include Leader Commitment, Talent Management, Organizational Structure,
    Training and Education, and Equitable and Inclusive Environment.
        As this year continues, within the talent management initiates, the
    Army Talent Management Task Force (TMTF) has established programs
    seeking to address diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Programs
    like the Command Assessment Program (CAP) provide the Army ways to
    improve opportunities for under-represented populations. The CAP
    incorporates active measures to reduce opportunities for bias by
    conducting double-blind interviews, conducting anti-bias training with
    voting panels, and anonymizing files presented to voting panels.
        In addition, the Career Mapping and Succession Planning tool is
    currently under design. This tool will interface with the Army Talent
    Alignment Process (marketplace) and Soldier Talent Profile to recommend
    future assignments using individual knowledge, skills, and behaviors to
    indicate where individuals should take military and professional
    courses, seek training, pursue a new assignment, or take other career
    actions in order to advise individuals on achieving their career goals.
    When reversed, the Career Mapping algorithm is used for Succession
    Planning, to look at the population identified as best fit for these
    positions. The identification of these talent pools early on can be
    used to adjust policies and remove obstacles to a talented and diverse
    population being considered for key leadership positions at all levels.
        Question. Improve diversity retention at all levels;
        Answer. In response to the 21 May 2020 SA/CSA Dual Signed memo
    addressing diversity in the Army, the ASA(M&RA) directed an Operational
    Planning Team (OPT) to develop an Implementation Plan to Expand Diverse
    Talent in the Army Officer Corps which will guide the Army to new
    accomplishments which strengthen diversity and inclusion in the force.
    The operational planning team developed 20 initiatives to meet four
    objectives addressing how the Army will acquire, develop, employ, and
    retain diversity. It marks an acceleration of new people plans,
    programs, and policies aimed at expanding diversity and inclusion in
    our Officer Corps, our Warrant Officer Corps, and our Enlisted Corps.
    The Implementation Plan to Expand Diverse Talent in the Army Officer
    Corps was published on January 7, 2021. ASA(M&RA) has also developed
    OPTs to develop plans for our Enlisted, Warrant, and Civilian cohorts,
    and the Civilian Implementation Plan was published in January. The
    Implementation Plans for Warrant Officers and Enlisted Soldiers are in
    development.
        As a part of the Implementation Plan for the Officer Corps, the
    Army has implemented several initiatives as a part of its efforts to
    increase diversity across the ranks. Initiatives include the Urban
    Access Program (Aug 2020); a Combat Arms Outreach Pilot Program (Mar
    2021); Talent Based Branching at USMA and USACC (2019 & 2020);
    Incorporated Diversity and Inclusion education and training into PME
    (Apr 2021); started conducting the Department of the Army Career
    Engagement Survey (May 2020); Army ROTC Senior Officer Mentor Program
    (June 2021); Incentivize Select Sources of Commission Positions (June
    2021); and Incorporating Mentorship into the Army PME System (fiscal
    year 2021). Some of these initiatives will also positively impact the
    recruitment and retention of Army Civilians, Warrant Officers, and
    Enlisted Soldiers.
        Strengthening Cadet mentoring programs is also an Army focus within
    recruiting and retention. The goal of the cadet mentorship programs is
    to increase officer accessions and to help cadets make informed
    decisions about their future Army careers. Staffing a diverse mix of
    Army Officers and Non-Commissioned Officers to serve as faculty and
    mentors at United States Military Academy (USMA) and Reserve Officer
    Training Corps (ROTC) locations not only increases the visibility of
    Army professionals at our sources of commission, but can influence and
    enhance the cadets' understanding of various branches. Going forward,
    the Army Human Resource Command (HRC) continues to work with ASA(M&RA),
    DCS G-1, and the sources of commissions to assign best fit officers to
    positively support the strategic outcomes of the Army People Strategy.
        Question. Improve trainings, including sexual assault prevention,
    with input from women, LGBTQ servicemembers, BIPOC servicemembers, and
    sexual assault survivors;
        Answer. The Army SHARP Academy, at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, the
    proponent for SHARP training across the Army, is aware of DoD's
    research efforts to identify evidence-based practices to address the
    need for culturally-competent care for men, women, LGBTQ service
    members, BIPOC service members, and sexual assault survivors. Once
    those best practices have been identified/codified, the SHARP Academy
    will develop curricula needed to enhance training for the Army's Sexual
    Assault Response Coordinators (SARC), Victim Advocates (VA), and the
    total force. Currently, the SHARP Academy develops curricula with input
    from women and BIPOC service members. The curricula instruct Army
    advocates on how to care for sexual assault victims and sexual
    harassment complainants with dignity, respect and compassion regardless
    of their race, gender, orientation, religion or any other identifying
    characteristics. The SHARP Academy continues to train SHARP
    professionals to respond to all victims and complainants without
    judgment or segregated advocacy actions. As DoD releases future
    guidance and information pertaining to culturally-competent care, the
    Army will rapidly assimilate the information into SARC/VA training
    courses and will add additional content to the Army-wide training
    support package and SHARP Annual Refresher Training.
        Question. Increase availability and accessibility of mental health
    support services for servicemembers and their families, including
    services tailored specifically toward minority servicemembers.
        Answer. The U.S. Army supports the Defense Health Agency's
    Behavioral Health Diversity Working Group, which was recently chartered
    to support advancements in mental health services for women, LGBTQ, and
    ethnic minorities. The working group will offer clinical guidance to
    enhance the care provided for minorities. Additionally, since the onset
    of the COVID epidemic, virtual mental health has expanded to provide
    services within the comfort of patients' homes.
        This is particularly important for low-income families, many of
    whom are minorities. By eliminating the need to travel to an in-person
    appointment, beneficiaries have fewer barriers to seeking care.
        Question. Improve outreach to and support for minority
    servicemembers facing discrimination from within their units.
        Answer. Education, awareness, and bystander intervention are at the
    heart of the Army's efforts to combat racism. The Army is working to
    improve outreach and support to minority servicemembers facing
    discrimination. The Army has developed a ``Your Voice Matters''
    campaign, which is a listening session concept designed to develop
    atmospherics and determine any local and/or Army-wide diversity and
    inclusion policy requirements; demonstrate care and commitment to the
    well-being of our military and civilian personnel; and provide an
    opportunity for personnel to engage with concerns or questions about
    issues that impact their personal and professional lives. It has also
    assisted local command teams and the Army Headquarters to better
    understand diversity, equity, and inclusion issues currently affecting
    the Army and society writ large. As of July 13, 2021, the Army has
    conducted 134 sessions with multiple servicemembers at 19 different
    locations. Further, the Army is updating Army Regulation (AR) 600-20,
    ``Army Command Policy,'' to improve the identification and resolution
    of discrimination issues through education, awareness, and bystander
    intervention efforts. The Army has also updated Equal Opportunity
    training to address racial issues and other related issues at all
    Professional Military Education (PME) levels, from junior Soldiers to
    General Officers.
        Question. Improve medical care for transgender servicemembers,
    women, and Black parents, particularly for transition care, pregnancy,
    and post-partum care;
        Answer. Army Medicine proudly serves all servicemembers and their
    beneficiaries, regardless of sexual orientation, race, or ethnicity.
    Since Executive Order 14004 (``Enabling All Qualified Americans to
    Serve Their Country in Uniform'') was signed in January 2021, the
    Army's Office of The Surgeon General (OTSG) has been coordinating with
    the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Defense Health Agency to
    improve care for our transgender Soldiers and our Soldiers with gender
    dysphoria, including modifying those policies that have a negative
    impact on these Soldiers. DoD recently updated two DoD policies to
    ensure that all Soldiers and applicants can serve freely in their self-
    identified gender.
        Further, as safety is a priority when caring for all Soldiers
    through pregnancy and post-partum care, per established clinical
    practice guidelines, ensuring specialty referral needs are met is a
    part of prenatal and post-partum care. The standard of care is applied
    to every servicemember and is tailored to the individual based on risk
    factors, including ethnicity.
                                     ______

                  Questions Submitted by Senator Patty Murray
        Question. Joint Base Lewis McChord in my home state of Washington
    has received recent media attention highlighting the problem of food
    insecurity experienced by local military families. Research shows that
    as many as one in five military families in Washington state are
    experiencing food insecurity. And a recent Army study associates food
    insecurity with anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts. How is the
    Army engaging on the issue of food insecurity and helping those Army
    families in need?
        Answer. The Army currently takes a multi-pronged approach to food
    insecurity among Soldiers and their Families. When the Army discovers
    that a Soldier or their immediate family is facing food insecurity, the
    Army initially connects the Soldier and family members to Army
    Emergency Relief and other community-based resources to address short-
    term financial emergencies. Next, the Army looks to provide
    individualized services to improve the Soldiers and Family's long-term
    financial outlook. These services include Financial Readiness Program
    (FRP) counseling for Soldiers and Families, which helps families
    develop budgets, manage credit/debt, and identify how to best use their
    financial resources. The Army also provides education to all Soldiers
    through a standardized mandatory financial readiness curriculum that
    includes familiarity with assistance programs, such as the Supplemental
    Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or the Family Subsistence
    Supplemental Allowance (FSSA). The Army also offers the Employment
    Readiness Program (ERP) to aid spouses in seeking employment to further
    improve the family's total financial outlook. From a forward-looking
    organizational perspective, the Army continues to work with DoD on the
    on-going broad-based study of food insecurity among members of the
    Armed Forces and their dependents. This study includes an assessment of
    the feasibility of a new basic needs allowance, an assessment of the
    barriers (if any) to qualification for or access to adequate food
    assistance programs of any type, and an assessment of the participation
    of servicemembers in the SNAP. This study will better inform the path
    forward for the Army on this important issue. Congress is required OSD
    to submit a report based on this study by March 31, 2022.
        Question. Another issue that demands Army attention is the lack of
    affordable housing at Yakima Training Center in central Washington.
    There is currently no military housing for families or unaccompanied
    personnel at Yakima, and off base, the vacancy rate for apartments and
    homes for sale is below 1 percent. The Army's 2020 Housing Market
    Analysis for Yakima also showed there's a housing shortfall. Assigned
    servicemembers at the Yakima Training Center clearly need more
    affordable housing. What is the Army doing to fix this?
        Answer. The Army is exploring several options to address the lack
    of affordable housing at/near Yakima Training Center. The Army hired a
    housing manager at this location to assist Servicemembers and their
    families with their housing needs. The new housing manager is working
    to establish a Rental Partnership Program (RPP) with local rental
    property companies to provide Servicemembers with improved access to
    affordable housing. Additionally, the Army--in collaboration with local
    and state leaders--continues to evaluate other housing solutions within
    the Yakima area.
                                     ______

                 Questions Submitted by Senator Jeanne Shaheen
                           grenadier sighting system
        Question. The Grenadier Sighting System is a critical piece of
    technology that provides soldiers with invaluable day and night-time
    fighting capabilities for the M320 Grenade Launcher. I understand that
    the Army has procured 73,000 M320s, but the system remains without a
    nighttime fighting capability. Can you please provide the acquisition
    plan for the Army's procurement of the Grenadier Sighting System for
    Close Combat Forces and the rest of the Army?
        Answer. The current Army Acquisition Objective for the Grenadier
    Sighting System (GSS) is 73,024 systems. The GSS is currently planned
    to serve as a 1-to-1 component to the M320 Grenade Launcher. The Army
    has a Firm Fixed Price Contract with Wilcox Industries to procure the
    GSS, and 19,427 of GSS have been procured to date.
                                     ______

                 Questions Submitted by Senator Mitch McConnell
                         european deterrence initiative
        Question. V Corps, including its rotational force in Poland,
    provides the United States and our allies with key capabilities to
    promote interoperability, counter malign influence, and deter
    aggression in Europe. Will proposed budget cuts to the European
    Deterrence Initiative diminish Army's capacity to maintain and
    strengthen these important capabilities?
        Answer. The Army will continue to maintain and strengthen its
    deterrence posture in Europe within current resourcing. V Corps serves
    as the higher headquarters command for assigned and rotational land
    forces in Europe. V Corps' activities are largely funded through the
    EDI. This includes exercises, a forward rotational presence, key
    infrastructure investments, and prepositioned equipment.
                           future vertical lift (fvl)
        Question. Does Army's budget request for fiscal year 2022 include
    the necessary resources to field FVL platforms by 2028?
        Answer. The current fielding plan for both the Future Attack
    Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) and the Future Long-Range Assault
    Aircraft (FLRAA) will enable the ``first units equipped'' in fiscal
    year 2030. The Army remains committed to long-term affordability of
    both FARA and FLRAA. This commitment includes goals and caps on Average
    Procurement Unit Cost (APUC) and Operations and Sustainment (O&S)
    costs, which serve as the long-term measures of affordability.
        At this time, the Army supports continued funding for FVL programs
    based on the transformational capability they will bring to the joint
    force in multiple theaters.
        Question. What role will the 101st Airborne Division and 160th
    Special Operations Aviation Regiment have in flying or testing new
    vertical lift platforms?
        Answer. Soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division and the 160th
    Special Operations Aviation Regiment are, and will continue to be, part
    of Soldier-centered design efforts to fly and test new vertical lift
    platforms. The Army employs a Soldier-centered design in the following
    ways: (1) the identification and validation of operational gaps, (2)
    the development of requirements, (3) the development and testing of new
    operational concepts and doctrine, (4) the development, evaluation, and
    modification of prototypes, and (5) the operational test and evaluation
    of potential future capabilities. The Army incorporates Soldier
    feedback as well as lessons learned. Critical and continuous feedback
    from Soldiers--many with significant recent combat experience--plays a
    critical role in our efforts to ``drive and fly before we buy.''
        Soldiers from across the force, both conventional and special
    operations, will continue to participate in Soldier touch points from
    the requirements definition phase to the fielding of new capabilities
    phase in order to ensure combat overmatch against our adversaries.
        Question. What military construction and other facility
    improvements are needed to accommodate FVL platforms at Fort Campbell?
    If further review is needed to determine these improvements, when do
    you expect to conclude those reviews?
        Answer. The Army is assessing 19 active and reserve component
    aviation installations that are under consideration for the stationing
    of Future Vertical Lift (FVL) aircraft, including Fort Campbell,
    Kentucky. This assessment includes evaluating all requirements
    necessary to train, maintain, and deploy these future aviation
    formations based on the projected FVL capabilities. Not only is the
    Army evaluating facility requirements, but the assessment team is also
    reviewing 17 major areas, including hangar, airfield, airspace, and
    training area capacity; live fire range capabilities; and support
    facilities. The facilities review alone includes more than 40 sub-areas
    to ensure that the existing facilities can support the maintenance and
    support requirements for the FVL aircraft. We expect to complete the
    compilation of the information by the end of fiscal year 2021 and the
    assessment will identify construction and other improvement
    requirements for not only Fort Campbell, but for all installations, in
    order to inform the fiscal year 24-28 Program Objective Memorandum
    (POM) cycle submission.
                          blue grass army depot (bgad)
        Question. Please provide an update on Army's review of potentially
    reusing certain equipment for BGAD's conventional operations that have
    supported its chemical weapon mission.
        Answer. The Army continues to review the potential for reusing
    certain equipment from the Blue Grass Army Depot's (BGAD) chemical
    weapon demilitarization operation for BGAD's conventional weapons
    operations. This review will continue until the chemical weapon
    operation is completed.
        Question. It is my understanding that some equipment currently
    supporting BGAD's chemical demilitarization operations may be
    environmentally advantageous for the installation's conventional
    mission. How will Army decide which equipment to transition from BGAD's
    chemical mission to its conventional operations?
        Answer. DoD and Army regulations, legal requirements, safety
    considerations, and historical practices will be used to evaluate the
    potential of equipment for reuse. The Assembled Chemical Weapons
    Alternatives (ACWA) Program can only transfer property that is ``safe
    to use'' for additional duties. There is an established process for
    property disposition. The type of property determines the process. For
    example, buildings and equipment where chemical munitions were present
    but where there was no contamination (e.g., container handling
    building) fall into the SOME REUSE category. Buildings and equipment
    not contaminated and without potential to be contaminated (e.g.,
    maintenance building) fall into the MOST OFTEN REUSE category. As part
    of the Army's Organic Industrial Base modernization strategy, over the
    next 15 years, the Army will ensure Blue Grass Army Depot is capable of
    sustaining readiness, is capable of supporting modernization efforts,
    and is postured to meet future wartime requirements.
        Question. What measures is Army taking to offset potential negative
    economic impacts to the local community that may result from the
    conclusion of BGAD's chemical demilitarization mission?
        Answer. In order to assess the impact to the local community, the
    Economic Impact Working Group uses a collaborative and transparent
    effort among local governments, Kentucky's congressional delegation,
    chambers of commerce, industry, the Department of Defense (DoD), the
    Department of the Army, the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development,
    the Bluegrass Area Development District, and the Bechtel Corporation
    (Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant's (BGCAPP) primary
    contractor). As mission completion approaches, the future economic
    impacts resulting from the conclusion of BGAD's chemical
    demilitarization mission are being closely scrutinized.
        To help protect the community against those impacts Army is
    proactively coordinating with DoD's Office of Local Defense Community
    Cooperation (OLDCC). The Blue Grass Area Development District requested
    planning assistance in December 2020 and the OLDCC is considering a
    broad economic adjustment planning effort to stabilize the local
    economy through the conclusion of BGAD's chemical demilitarization
    mission.
                                 fort campbell
        Question. Fort Campbell currently has a significant deficit of
    tactical equipment maintenance facilities (motor pools), and 12 of the
    existing facilities were built during the Korean War. What is Army's
    plan to construct additional motor pools that are large enough and
    properly equipped to perform maintenance on modern vehicles at Fort
    Campbell?
        Answer. The current ten-year Army Facility Investment Plan (FIP),
    led by U.S. Army Materiel Command, includes building two tactical
    equipment maintenance facilities at Fort Campbell to address existing
    facility deficits. Additionally, two emerging tactical equipment
    maintenance requirements have also been identified and will compete for
    Military Construction funding between fiscal year 2023 and fiscal year
    2031.
        Question. What is Army's plan to renovate Fort Campbell's outdated
    1st BCT VOLAR barracks, which were built in the 1970s?
        Answer. The current ten-year Army Facility Investment Plan (FIP)
    includes Restoration and Modernization (R&M) projects to renovate all
    13 1st Brigade Combat Team (BCT) Volunteer Army (VOLAR) barracks. There
    are four unaccompanied housing R&M projects programmed in fiscal year
    2021 and fiscal year 2022. The funding for the two fiscal year 2021
    projects was released on Feb. 4, 2021, and the two fiscal year 2022
    projects, based on our fiscal year 2022 budget request, are expected to
    be released and awarded no earlier than the second quarter of fiscal
    year 2022. The remaining nine 1st BCT VOLAR barracks are slated to be
    addressed between fiscal year 2023 and fiscal year 2031.
                               abilityone program
        Question. It was recently announced that Army plans to use
    intergovernmental support agreements (IGSAs) instead of the existing
    AbilityOne contracts for custodial services at Fort Campbell and Fort
    Knox. Does Army policy allow for the use of IGSAs instead of AbilityOne
    contracts where cost-savings can be achieved? What is Army's plan for
    future participation in the AbilityOne Program, which employs people
    who are blind or have significant disabilities to provide custodial,
    grounds keeping, food, and other services on Army installations?
        Answer. The Army has not made a decision to enter into an IGSAs for
    custodial services at either Fort Campbell or Fort Knox. The IGSA
    authority (10 U.S.C. 2679(a)(1)) allows the Department of Defense to
    enter into an IGSA with a state or local government that can deliver
    installation support services more efficiently and at a lower cost.
    Neither the law, nor Department of Defense or Army policy, prohibit the
    use of an IGSA in lieu of an AbilityOne contract when the Secretary
    determines that doing so is in the best interests of the Army by
    enhancing mission effectiveness or creating efficiencies or economies
    of scale, including by reducing costs. The U.S. Army Installation
    Management Command (IMCOM) continues to be one of the largest
    supporters of the AbilityOne Program in the United States Army and
    Department of Defense. IMCOM's contract portfolio contains 71 contracts
    set aside for AbilityOne with a total contract value of $1.7 billion.
    According to SourceAmerica data, these IMCOM contracts employ 2,318
    Disabled Full Time Equivalent employees. Each proposed IGSA receives a
    thorough review for cost savings and overall benefit to the government.
    For proposed IGSAs that would displace an incumbent AbilityOne
    contractor, IMCOM also reviews the IGSA proposals to determine if there
    is a firm commitment from the state or local government hire the
    incumbent Ability One contractor's workforce. When otherwise in the
    best interests of the Army, the Army will continue to use IGSAs to
    obtain installation support services if IMCOM obtains a firm commitment
    from the respective state or local government regarding their hiring
    plans for incumbent contractor employees, especially those who are
    disabled.
                                     ______

                Questions Submitted by Senator Susan M. Collins
                         robotic combat vehicle program
        Question. With regard to the Army's robotic combat vehicle plans,
    how often does Army Futures Command evaluate autonomous ground vehicle
    experimentation efforts?
        Answer. The Army's autonomous ground vehicle experimentation plan
    relies on tabletop exercises, virtual environments, and physical
    experimentation. Soldier feedback is critical to determining both
    future use cases and vehicle requirements. Major virtual experiments
    (where Soldiers control robotic combat vehicles in a simulation
    environment) occur approximately every 6 months, while physical
    experiments average once every three to 4 months. In addition to
    Soldier feedback, multiple technology assessments evaluate the software
    that enables the vehicles to operate autonomously. Further, independent
    evaluators determine if new software is adequately mature to integrate
    into a future Soldier operational experiment. If so, Soldiers then
    evaluate the new software in a relevant tactical environment and
    provide their comments to developers, who improve the existing software
    in accordance with the Soldier feedback and the performance data.
        Experiments that have occurred over the past 2 years include, the
    Robotic Combat Vehicle (RCV) Soldier Operational Manned-Unmanned
    Teaming Experiment that took place at Fort Carson, Colorado, from July-
    August 2020. Additionally, RCV surrogates (``Project Origin'')
    supported Project Convergence at Yuma Proving Ground from September to
    October 2020. These same systems then went to Fort Benning, Georgia for
    a three-week Soldier experiment in November 2020. The same Soldiers who
    operated the Project Origin platforms at Fort Benning then supported a
    live fire at Camp Grayling, Michigan, in April 2021. The next Soldier
    operational experiment will occur in September 2021 at the Joint
    Readiness Training Center, located at Fort Polk, Louisiana.
        Question. How do these evaluations differ, if at all, from existing
    program evaluations and review processes resident within the Department
    of the Army's acquisition community?
        Answer. Robotic Combat Vehicle experimental evaluations follow the
    same processes uses in the Army's acquisition and test communities. The
    Army enterprise breaks down learning objectives to support data
    collection and analysis after each experiment. Results from each
    experiment then inform both learning objectives and development
    priorities for the next experiment, as well as program planning for
    future acquisition programs of record.
        Question. In the event separate but concurrent program and
    experimentation reviews come to different conclusions, what is the
    impact to resourcing decisions for the programs and experimentation
    efforts in question?
        Answer. Any potential impact to Army resourcing decisions because
    of different conclusions from concurrent program and experimentation
    reviews will depend on the conclusions themselves and their impact on
    cost, schedule, and performance. The RCV program strives to minimize
    concurrent platform prototype development until Soldiers evaluate the
    platforms and their capabilities in a relevant operating environment.
                                     ______

                 Questions Submitted by Senator Lisa Murkowski
                                 posture review
        Question. General McConville, during testimony you mentioned that
    the current Posture Review would have you looking at your resources
    available and drive your decisionmaking on re-aligning headquarters and
    forces in Alaska as you transition them from an administrative
    headquarters to an Arctic focused operational headquarters 1a. When is
    the current Posture Review expected to be completed, and where is the
    Review in the process now?
        Answer. The Global Posture Review (GPR) is an Office of the
    Secretary of Defense (OSD) process and it is in the final review stages
    of review prior to a decision by the Secretary of Defense.
        Question. Following the Posture Review, what will be the process
    for making these force realignment decisions, and when would we
    actually see results of these decisions take effect?
        Answer. Following the Posture Review, the Army will use the Total
    Army Analysis (TAA) process to inform realignment decisions. Those
    decisions are typically announced in the first quarter of the fiscal
    year.
                        arctic overland mobility vehicle
        Question. General McConville you also acknowledged during the
    hearing you would provide an update on the Cold Weather All-Terrain
    Vehicle (``the CAT-V'').
        Can you please provide me an update on the Phase II ``Production''
    timeline and is there any indication that the fiscal year 2023 target
    of equipping units with the CAT-V has slipped?
        Answer. At this point, the Army has seen no indication of any
    slippage in the current schedule. A Production Award is scheduled for
    June 2022 with first production vehicle delivery in August 2023.
        Question. If it has slipped, has this been addressed in the fiscal
    year 22 budget?
        Answer. The Army has seen no indication of any slippage in the
    current schedule.
        Question. When will these new CAT-Vs be fielded? Will they go to
    Alaska-based troops?
        Answer. The CATV will begin fielding in fiscal year 2023, with the
    first unit equipped expected in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2023.
    The CATV program is on schedule to conduct cold weather testing in
    fiscal year 2022 and begin production in fiscal year 2023. As this
    vehicle is crucial for the Arctic Soldier and their mission, Alaska-
    based troops are expected to be part of the fielding plan.
      arctic organization clothing and individual equipment (ocie) for ft
                       drum, ft carson, and alaska bases
        Question. Unique clothing and equipment for the Arctic (mittens,
    boots, sleep systems) to ensure soldier safety and readiness for units
    assigned to train and deploy to Arctic locations has been identified as
    an unfunded requirement in this budget. Congress not funding proper
    winter clothing for our Army has been an issue dating back to Valley
    Forge and Morristown, and I'd hope we'd have learned that lesson by
    this point. The cold weather sustainment items ensure safety and
    readiness for soldiers assigned to the Arctic, and as we pivot to
    conducting more training and operations in the region I would imagine
    they are crucial to our abilities to do so.
        General McConville, can you identify concisely the degradation to
    readiness if we are unable to outfit all our soldiers assigned to train
    and deploy in the arctic environments in this budget cycle?
        Answer. The Army equips and trains to fight under any environmental
    condition. Arctic conditions are challenging, but commanders are
    responsible for ensuring readiness for the conditions of the
    operational environment when deployed. This includes assessing the
    risks associated with an Arctic environment and taking actions to
    mitigate the risk of injuries or accidents due to cold weather while
    still accomplishing the assigned mission. These actions include
    training on how to use cold weather clothing and equipment properly, as
    well as preventing and treating cold weather injuries. The current Army
    procurement strategy is to equip select active duty and National Guard
    units that are specially trained to operate in Arctic environments,
    with improved cold weather equipment. Approximately 3 percent of our
    total Army (all components) is outfitted today to operate in Extreme
    Cold Weather (ECW) or Arctic regions of the world. The Army has issued
    guidance to improve upon the ability to operate in Arctic conditions,
    while assessing the risk across all other requirements within the
    equipping enterprise of the Army. I expect that this new guidance will
    be addressed in Program Objective Memorandum, fiscal year 2024-2028.
        Question. Is there legacy equipment that would or could be used, or
    is this a ``show stopper'' for various exercises and operations you
    have planned either internally or with partners and allies?
        Answer. Currently available clothing and equipment allows Soldiers
    to conduct all necessary exercises and operations. All Soldiers have
    components of the Extended Cold Weather Clothing System (ECWCS). This
    system allows Soldiers to use layers to provide adequate protection
    from temperate to arctic weather conditions. All Soldiers have elements
    of the ECWCS that allow them to operate from temperate to cold weather
    conditions.
        Additionally, 40,000 Soldiers have the components of the ECWCS
    that allow them to operate in extreme cold weather, including climate
    zones 6 (extreme cold weather) and 7 (Arctic weather). These ECWCS
    components comprising Layer 6 and Layer 7, include insulated gloves,
    trigger finger mittens, insulated mittens, cold weather boots, CW/ECW
    socks, boot gaiter, and a balaclava. Deliveries are expected that will
    outfit an additional 50,000 Soldiers for next winter.

                              SUBCOMMITTEE RECESS

        Senator Tester. The Defense subcommittee will reconvene on
    Thursday, June 24, at 10 a.m. to hear from the Navy and Marine
    Corps leadership on fiscal year 2022 Department of Navy budget
    request. With that, this subcommittee stands in recess. Thanks,
    guys.
        [Whereupon, at 11:09 a.m., Tuesday, June 22, the
    subcommittee was recessed, to reconvene at 10 a.m., Thursday,
    June 24.]

           DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022

                                  ----------

                            THURSDAY, JUNE 24, 2021

                                           U.S. Senate,
               Subcommittee of the Committee on Appropriations,
                                                        Washington, DC.
        The subcommittee met at 10 a.m., in room SD-192, Dirksen
    Senate Office Building, Hon. Jon Tester (chairman) presiding.
        Present: Senators Tester, Murray, Schatz, Baldwin, Shelby,
    Collins, Blunt, and Moran.

                             DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

                             Department of the Navy

                            Office of the Secretary

    STATEMENT OF HON. THOMAS W. HARKER, ACTING SECRETARY

                    OPENING STATEMENT OF SENATOR JON TESTER

        Senator Tester. I want to call this subcommittee meeting to
    order.
        Let me begin by welcoming our witnesses. Acting Secretary
    Harker, this is your first appearance before the Senate
    Appropriations Committee and I welcome you.
        Admiral Gilday and General Berger, you were both here last
    year for the last live hearing before the pandemic, so welcome
    back. It is good to host you in person.
        I think we can all agree that China is a current-pacing
    threat and that the pace is a run, if not a full-out sprint.
        So, how are we keeping up? The Navy and Marine Corps are
    facing the current challenges with different approaches. On one
    hand, the Marine Corps has taken major steps to reshape its
    force for the future based on General Berger's strategy to
    self-fund the reforms.
        On the other hand, the Navy is faced with the balancing act
    between the substantial cost of maintaining a fleet of nearly
    300 ships and the additional cost of modernizing to meet the
    threats of the future.
        The Navy's 2022 budget protects readiness in order to
    deliver a combat-credible force. As for the future, the path is
    less clear. Secretary Harker has reportedly found that plans to
    design new destroyer submarines and jets all at the same time
    are unaffordable.
        So, how do we increase our pace to keep up with the threat?
    For the Navy, I understand there are ongoing reviews on what
    the fleet of tomorrow should look like. I would add that, no
    matter what you find in those studies, holding people
    accountable, whether it is government or civilian, for delays
    in ship deliveries or increase in weapons costs has to be part
    of that solution.
        The committee is eager to work with you to find the right
    balance between modernization, or between modernizing and
    maintaining the force and fleet that we have.
        Once again, I want to thank the witnesses for their
    testimony that they are about to give today and look forward to
    hearing from each one of them.
        With that, I will turn it over to you, Senator Shelby.

                     STATEMENT OF SENATOR RICHARD C. SHELBY

        Senator Shelby. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I will try to be
    brief.
        Welcome. I welcome you, too, Mr. Secretary, Admiral, and
    General Berger. Thank you for being here.
        We all look forward to hearing about the Navy and the
    Marine Corps' budget proposal for 2022. This discussion is
    particularly important, I believe, because the Navy's budget
    proposal reflects a meager 1.8 percent increase from fiscal
    year 2021 while reducing the end strength in procurement
    investments. The reductions are proposed despite the need to
    maintain readiness and make progress on key modernization
    priorities, like the Navy's leg of the nuclear triad and the
    introduction of a new weapons system.
        In addition to other deficiencies in the Navy's budget
    proposal, I believe this budget fails to include funding to
    support the multi-year procurement contract for the DDG-51,
    which reflects poorly, I believe, on the Department's view of
    its commitments to Congress and its long-term ship- building
    plans.
        It also calls into question the seriousness with which this
    Administration approaches defense-related funding decisions
    given that the DDG-51 appears as the Navy's top priority on its
    unfunded requirements list.
        You are all very well aware that our adversaries, including
    China and Russia, pose new and increasing threats, and they
    will grow. They are making unprecedented investments in their
    capability and capacity, investments that this budget does not
    even come close to matching.
        I believe that this budget, which fails to even keep pace
    with inflation, sends the wrong message to our allies and our
    adversaries. I am interested in hearing how the 2022 budget
    request fully meets, if it does, the needs of the Navy and
    Marine Corps while maintaining our advantage over our
    adversaries. It will be an interesting discussion.
        Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        Senator Tester. Thank you, Senator Shelby.
        We will start out with you, Secretary Harker.

                   SUMMARY STATEMENT OF HON. THOMAS W. HARKER

        Secretary Harker. Chairman Tester, Vice Chairman Shelby,
    distinguished members of the committee, thank you for your
    bipartisan support on behalf of our sailors, marines, and
    civilians. I am honored to be here with General Berger and
    Admiral Gilday. I support their efforts to build a more
    integrated, all-domain naval force through the NAVPLAN and the
    Force Design 2030.
        In order to move these plans forward within existing
    resources, we have had to make some very hard choices in this
    budget, but that is exactly what the American people expect us
    to do. Every dollar is a strategic asset that must be maximized
    to stay ahead of the pacing threat of China and the many other
    challenges facing our fleet and our Nation.
        Every investment must be done in a balanced and sustainable
    manner to ensure we maintain the readiness of our current
    fleet, while building the capacity and the capability we will
    need in the future. The cost of readiness is increasing.
    Personnel and maintenance costs have grown at a rate that is
    well above inflation. This growth squeezes the rest of our
    budget.
        In order to maintain our readiness, we have had to delay
    some of our planned ship purchases to future years. In order to
    invest in a superior future force, we have had to divest of
    less-capable assets. These were not easy choices, but we cannot
    create a hollow force that does not train our sailors or
    Marines, or which leaves holes in units, or does not provide
    for sufficient crew rest. We have learned those lessons through
    the tragic mishaps that have occurred over the last 5 years.
        In order to ensure future availability and readiness of our
    fleet, we are prioritizing investments in our physical
    infrastructure, including full commitment to the Shipyard
    Infrastructure Optimization Program.
        I have visited all four of our public Navy shipyards, as
    well as most of the private shipyards, and other commercial
    facilities. It has been an inspiration to shake the hands of
    the men and women who are building and maintaining our fleet.
        I have had the opportunity to speak with every level of
    labor and management about the issues they face, and the need
    for consistency in funding and demand. That is why we are
    increasing the capability and resiliency of these century-old
    installations, increasing the size and capability of our dry
    docks, and equipping our 40,000-person workforce with the tools
    they need to maintain our new, more lethal assets.
        To ensure our resources reach the warfighters who need
    them, we are demanding rigorous self-assessment and responsive
    accountability in every part of our enterprise through the
    Performance to Plan initiative. This effort has improved our
    readiness of our strike fighters and is being rolled out
    successfully across the fleet in other areas.
        As good stewards, we are on the right path towards
    obtaining an audit opinion for the Navy and Marine Corps
    General Funds and the Department's Working Capital Fund. We are
    the only military department that has eliminated audit material
    weaknesses--three in the Navy, one in the Marine Corps--and are
    leading the way on this critical effort.
        This has enabled us to improve cybersecurity in our
    business systems. Since 2017, the Marine Corps has closed 41
    out of 110 IT findings, 17 of which were cybersecurity related.
        We are also increasing investment in the Department's
    oversight functions, while maximizing the return on our
    investment in the performance audit process.
        Effective use and management of data is key to our digital
    transformation and will change how we will fight and win at
    every level. This requires the modernization of our information
    technology infrastructure, which is a critical war-fighting
    priority for our department.
        We are also prioritizing the mental health of our force,
    speaking out at the senior level about the benefits of
    counseling and ensuring the availability of counselors,
    chaplains, and other professionals. We appreciate the
    committee's attention to this vital issue and your support in
    providing additional mental health support to our sailors and
    Marines and our forward operational units.
        We are fighting the scourge of sexual harassment and sexual
    assault through efforts like the Watch List, a tool that uses
    Navy and Marine Corps data to alert commanders to conditions in
    their units that may lead to these toxic behaviors. We are
    increasing investment in this area, focusing on the prevention
    of and response to sexual harassment and assault.
        In this fiscal year 2022 budget, we have added over 200
    personnel across the Navy and Marine Corps focused on
    prevention. The majority of these personnel will be placed at
    Navy and Marine Corps installations, working with sailors and
    Marines.
        We are also adding an additional 80 sexual assault response
    coordinators for the Marine Corps, as well as 18 Navy criminal
    investigative service personnel dedicated to a sexual assault
    prevention and response.
        Secretary Austin's 90-Day Independent Review Commission has
    completed its work, and we look forward to implementing the
    Secretary's forthcoming recommendations to make meaningful and
    lasting progress in this area.
        Around the world and around the clock, the sailors,
    Marines, and civilians of our integrated naval force stand the
    watch and execute the mission. On behalf of each of them and
    their families, I thank you for your time, oversight, and
    appropriations. I look forward to your questions.
        [The statement follows:]
                    Prepared Statement of Hon. Thomas Harker
        Chairman Tester, Vice Chairman Shelby, distinguished Members of the
    Committee, thank you for the opportunity to discuss the posture of the
    Department of the Navy (DON). I appreciate the hard work of the Members
    and Staff of this Committee to ensure funding stability and principled
    oversight for every Sailor and Marine now standing watch around the
    world.
        The reemergence of long-term strategic competition from China and
    Russia is spurring a period of rapid transformation in the global
    security environment. The disruptions related to the COVID-19 pandemic
    underscore the need for agility and distributed readiness. Climate
    change is accelerating, and its impact on both our planet and force
    will continue to grow as significant weather events threaten our
    infrastructure, and the arctic opens to unprecedented activity.
        In a world more interconnected and interdependent than ever before,
    a fully integrated and forward maneuverable Navy-Marine Corps Team has
    never been more important to the security of our Nation and the
    preservation of the rules-based international order. We must protect
    our nation, our allies and partners, and our global interests, while
    also leading on the urgent issues facing our personnel and planet, from
    the mental and physical health care needs of our people, to the scourge
    of sexual assault and harassment, to the need for diversity and
    inclusion at every echelon, to the ongoing threat of climate change.
        General Berger, Admiral Gilday, and I stand united in our resolve
    to ensure your DON will be ready for the global challenges before us
    with the personnel, platforms, and technology to secure vital sea
    lanes, stand together with our allies, and protect the United States of
    America.
                               defend the nation
        The President's Budget submission for FY 2022 (PB22) reflects hard
    choices to divest of less capable platforms and systems to invest in a
    powerful and superior future force. Throughout the budget process and
    in all aspects of capability acquisition, design, construction, and
    deployment, we must balance the urgent readiness needs of our force
    today with investments in the future force and effective business
    process reforms in order to ensure our Sailors and Marines are always
    ready to fight and win in any clime or place.
    Force Posture
        The presence and availability of naval forces must always reflect
    the strategic needs of the Nation, providing effective options for the
    President and Secretary of Defense to counter every challenge. To
    ensure preparedness, the DON provides maximum operational flexibility
    through warfighting concepts including Distributed Maritime Operations,
    Littoral Operations in a Contested Environment, and Expeditionary
    Advanced Base Operations, ensuring continual overmatch and flexibility
    in the battle space.
        Secretary Austin has identified China as the pacing threat for our
    military forces, and we will continue to position our integrated global
    maritime force to lead in the Indo-Pacific. But ours is a global force
    with global responsibilities, including increased Russian presence in
    the Atlantic, terrorism and instability in the Arabian Gulf, an
    increasingly blue arctic, a global need for agile and ready Marine
    forces to respond to the unexpected in every domain, and the constant
    threat of cyberattacks to our force, support infrastructure, industrial
    base, and supply chain.
        The DON FY22 budget request delivers ready maritime forces through
    sustained investment and performance improvement, developing more
    lethal, networked capabilities and concepts, closely integrated between
    the services and with our joint force and government partners. Within
    limited resources, we will field the right platforms and capability to
    maintain freedom of the seas, support international law, and stand by
    our allies as we continue to fly, sail and operate wherever
    international law allows.
        That spirit is reflected in the guidance put forth by our services.
    I support Admiral Gilday's Navigation Plan, which refocuses our
    integrated all-domain naval power on the core functions of sea control
    and power projection we need to compete and win. It places a high
    priority on a more lethal and better connected fleet to project power
    from blue water, to the littorals, to the shoreline and beyond.
        The guidance centers on four lines of effort:
      --Deliver a More Ready Fleet. Deliver a Navy that is organized,
            trained, and equipped to deploy forward and win in day-to-day
            competition, in crisis, and in conflict.
      --Deliver a More Lethal, Better-Connected Fleet. Deliver a Navy
            capable of projecting synchronized lethal and non-lethal
            effects across all domains.
      --Deliver a Larger, Hybrid Fleet. Grow a larger, hybrid fleet of
            manned and unmanned platforms--under, on, and above the sea--
            that meets the strategic and operational demands of our force.
      --Develop a Seasoned Team of Naval Warriors. Develop a dominant naval
            force that can outthink and outfight any adversary.
        To meet the forward maneuverable force requirements of the Joint
    Force long into the future, the Marine Corps has put into motion an
    aggressive modernization of the Service. I support General Berger's
    Force Design 2030, which is not simply an improvement on its existing
    form and function. It is a transformational effort rooted in the
    anticipated challenges of the future operating environment. Building on
    the cooperative efforts of all of our sea services, the Marine Corps is
    reinvigorating the Fleet Marine Forces within existing resource
    constraints as an indispensable element to global maritime operations.
        The goal of Force Design 2030 is to provide a Marine expeditionary
    assets that will:
      --Successfully compete with peer adversaries in the maritime gray
            zone
      --Deter, and if required, fight and win in support of naval campaigns
      --Facilitate sea denial and sea control
      --Win the reconnaissance and counter-reconnaissance competition
      --Persist inside actively contested spaces
      --Be capable of ``rapidly sensing, making sense of, and acting upon
            information'' inside an adversary's weapon engagement zone.
        Across both services and throughout the DON, we are executing force
    designs centered on Naval Expeditionary force deployment, giving us a
    sustainable edge and a resilient capability to deliver the integrated
    all-domain naval power required by the Joint Force. We are investing in
    the readiness of the integration-ready platforms to ensure continued
    freedom of action throughout the maritime domain, from amphibious and
    ground element equipment, to agile warships and submarines, to dominant
    aircraft carriers and air wings. Successful implementation of the
    concepts within the Navigation Plan and Force Design 2030 will be
    pursued through a unified, integrated effort at every echelon.
    Maintain the Edge
        We greatly appreciate the Committee's efforts to ensure funding
    stability and predictability over the past several years. This has
    given our force the agility and flexibility needed to address emerging
    threats, to invest in critical future capabilities for our integrated
    naval force, while shifting away from less beneficial spending.
        The DON is building on this foundation by aggressively pursuing
    better readiness, lethality, and capabilities in those areas of
    warfighting technology showing the greatest promise of delivering non-
    linear warfighting advantages. From artificial intelligence and cyber
    weapons to unmanned platforms and directed energy, we are on the cusp
    of technological breakthroughs that will define future conflict. Our
    future force will be defined by our decisions today.
        We will continue to invest in key naval capabilities to control the
    seas and project power in every domain. We will field a resilient,
    networked, and dispersed fleet, connected through the Naval Operational
    Architecture to provide decision advantage in contested environments.
    We will continue to invest in advanced technologies such as long range
    hypersonic and directed energy capabilities to ensure maximum reach,
    survivability and decision space for our forces.
        Our number one shipbuilding priority remains resourcing COLUMBIA
    SSBN for on-track delivery in order to ensure the future strength of
    the most survivable leg of our Nation's nuclear triad. We are also
    advancing our asymmetric undersea attack advantage through the Tactical
    Submarine Evolution Plan, including follow-on Blocks VI and VII of the
    VIRGINIA Class, and the SSN(X) program. We are advancing battle force
    shipbuilding programs such as the CONSTELLATION class frigate and the
    GERALD R. FORD class carriers, as well as enhancing our fleet
    capabilities through additional battle force ships.
        We are also extending the reach of our warriors from the sea with
    the addition of sea-based platforms such as USS MIGUEL KEITH, our third
    Expeditionary Sea Base, which was commissioned on May 8th. To ensure
    our Marines maintain their edge, we will continue to invest in key
    Marine Corps development programs that support the Marine Corps Force
    Design concept, such as the Ground Based Anti-Ship Missile, Ground
    Based Air Defense, Medium Altitude-Long Endurance Unmanned Aerial
    System, Long Range Unmanned Surface Vessel, and the Light Amphibious
    Warship. These enhance the ability of Marines to maneuver and deter
    competitors within range of enemy weapon systems.
        Targeted investments in key emerging technologies and capabilities
    will enhance and sustain amphibious battlefield maneuverability ashore
    and superiority at sea, with the support of properly resourced
    facilities, infrastructure, and systems to sustain our frontline
    forces.
    Continual Readiness
        Hard experience has shown long term readiness cannot be sustainably
    achieved through ``can do'' and ``make do'' improvisation. Our front
    line personnel may be determined, adaptive, and skillful enough to get
    the job done in the face of equipment shortfalls and intense battle
    rhythms, butrelying on their adaptability is no substitute for genuine
    fleet readiness. We owe it to the Sailors and Marines out in the fleet
    to make sure they always have the tools they need to do the dangerous
    jobs we ask of them.
        The changes generated from the Readiness Reform and Oversight
    Council (RROC) and other introspective efforts have enabled us to
    improve readiness, training, and maintenance processes at every level.
    For example, we've implemented a uniform readiness assessment and
    certification process that must be followed before a ship can be
    certified to return to the fleet. We have also increased opportunities
    for shipboard certification and skills enhancement, while adjusting
    manning schedules to maximize safety and improve quality of life and
    professional effectiveness for our personnel while underway. These and
    many other changes will result in a better prepared and equipped force.
        We continue to build on our efforts to increase availability,
    improve maintenance, and maximize throughput, by making targeted shore
    investments designed to increase fleet readiness. The Navy's four
    public shipyards--Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard,
    Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility, and
    Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility--are
    critical infrastructure elements of America's national defense. In
    order to improve naval maintenance production capacity at these
    facilities, the DON is fully committed to the Shipyard Infrastructure
    Optimization Program (SIOP), comprising three primary focus areas: dry
    dock recapitalization, facility layout and optimization, and capital
    equipment and modernization. The DON is dedicating the resources and
    oversight necessary to ensure the required maintenance is completed
    across all shipyards as quickly as possible, and has established a
    Program Office (PMS-555) to ensure integration of all elements of the
    plan.
        Building on the successful Naval Aviation Enterprise efforts to
    meet Strike Fighter aircraft availability goals for both the Navy and
    Marine Corps, we are targeting greater aviation readiness across the
    force, incorporating commercial best practices to improve performance.
    Through the Performance to Plan initiative we're using data driven
    decision making to enable to remove the root causes of maintenance
    delays as well as operational mishaps. This data-driven approach is
    based on a ``Get Real, Get Better'' approach, demanding rigorous self-
    assessment, strong characterization of current performance, and
    detailed analysis backed by accountability and the opportunity to
    implement needed improvements.
        We appreciate the Committee's interest in ensuring our Naval forces
    have the right facilities to train, fight, and win, even as various
    demands on the land, sea, and air reduce the available area for
    military training. Specifically, we are grateful for the Committee's
    continued attention to the urgent need to expand the Fallon Training
    Range Complex, which is necessary to the readiness of every Naval
    Aviator and Navy SEAL. We are listening to the interests of Tribal
    governments, environmental organizations, and the local community, as
    well as our counterparts across the Federal Government, and are
    committed to finding a favorable solution for everyone involved.
    Combat Climate Change
        The United States Navy and Marine Corps recognize the reality of
    global climate change, our responsibility to mitigate our contribution
    to it, and our need to prepare for its short and long term effects. As
    we grapple with the effects of climate change on maritime operations
    around the globe, the DON must continue to lead and find ways to go
    farther, both in substantially reducing our impact on climate change
    and building a force that is resilient to its potential effects.
        We must adapt our infrastructure for the coming changes with
    initiative and problem solving throughout the DON. In the past few
    months I have visited and recognized several Marine Corps and Navy
    installations that have demonstrated leadership in climate resiliency,
    environmental stewardship, and sustainable development. These
    facilities include Parris Island, Naval Base San Diego, Marine Corps
    Air Base Camp Pendleton, and Naval Base Point Loma. We will continue to
    invest in vehicles, infrastructure, and technology that increase our
    resiliency and efficiency, as we pursue the use and availability of
    alternative fuels. The DON is determined to lead from the front against
    the threat of climate change.
                            take care of our people
        The greatest source of readiness and strength for our force will
    always be the people who wear the uniform and comprise our civilian
    workforce, as well as the families that serve alongside them. We are
    committed to ensuring our Sailors, Marines, and Civilians are trained
    and equipped to execute the mission and return home safely, and that
    their families are provided with the housing, medical attention, and
    education they deserve.
    Building the Future Force
        To maintain a Fleet prepared to fight and win in long term
    strategic competition, we continue to evaluate and improve our
    capability to attract, retain, and develop a talented and diverse
    workforce. In the context of an intense competition for talent in our
    country, and in light of the rapidly evolving tactical and technical
    landscape, we are modernizing and enhancing our entire talent
    management approach to succeed.
        We are continuously identifying opportunities for personnel to
    develop their leadership skills throughout the ranks, promoting equal
    opportunity in every aspect of our force. The DON is investing in the
    training, education, and professional development of our officers,
    enlisted personnel, and civilian teammates with special emphasis on
    partnerships with civilian institutions to enhance educational
    opportunities for our junior Sailors and Marines.
    Eliminate Toxic Behaviors
        It is a personal priority for all three of us to build a climate of
    trust, respect and inclusion throughout our force. A major focus of
    that effort must be on recognizing and stopping destructive behaviors
    early and consistently, so leaders at every level can take appropriate
    and effective actions.
        We remain determined to eliminate sexual assault, sexual
    harassment, and gender discrimination from every part of our force.
    These behaviors are a betrayal of those who have stepped forward to
    serve in uniform. We will continue to work with this Committee to share
    best practices and ideas, relentlessly pursuing a future where no
    Sailor, Marine, or civilian teammate ever has to fear for their own
    safety while protecting us all.
        To assist leaders in this effort, we have developed The Watch List:
    Top Five Signals of Risk for Sexual Assault, a research-driven tool
    that used Navy and Marine Corps data to identify five of the key
    destructive behaviors that increase risk for sexual assault. These
    include sexual harassment, gender discrimination, lack of
    responsibility and intervention, lack of respect and cohesion, and
    workplace hostility behaviors. We have promulgated The Watch List
    throughout the Navy and Marine Corps and are actively working to
    develop tools that will provide operational commanders data on their
    units so they can take action to prevent incidents.
        We are actively engaged in rooting out extremism throughout our
    force. In coordination with efforts across the joint force, the DON has
    conducted ``Extremism Stand Downs'' at every echelon. This process
    sparked important conversations and made the position of our leadership
    and force clear to every Sailor, Marine, and Civilian in the DON, and
    we will continue to build on these efforts.
        Trust is at the heart of all our warriors do. Extremist ideologies
    are a strategic threat to that trust and have no place within the Navy
    and Marine Corps. We will persistently focus on this problem, and
    appreciate this Committee's partnership and involvement in this
    critical effort.
        As leaders we must do all in our power to ensure that our people
    feel respected and valued. We cannot and will not tolerate
    discrimination or racism of any kind. Our core values and oath demand
    that we critically examine all of our policies and practices to remove
    inequity and unconscious bias.
    Promote Mental Health
        Mental health is a critical aspect of our readiness as a force--and
    our responsibility to our warriors and their families. We have made it
    a priority to ensure the ready availability of mental health
    professionals, chaplains, family counselors and other support
    professionals when our people are in need--or when they see the need in
    others.
        I know from personal experience how helpful counseling can be
    during both personal and professional struggles. That's why as part of
    our recognition of May as Mental Health Awareness Month, I launched a
    series of videos encouraging leaders throughout the DON to share their
    personal stories of seeking and receiving counseling and help. I also
    emphasized this point to our newest officers at the US Naval Academy
    Commissioning Ceremony, and will continue promoting mental health care
    throughout the force. We have to remove the stigma and start the
    conversation, particularly as our warriors and their families contend
    with the added stressors related to COVID-19.
        The DON is committed to ensuring the health, safety, and well-being
    for all members within our military community. The loss of any Sailor,
    Marine or civilian to suicide is one too many. The DON offers a variety
    of suicide prevention efforts, encouraging positive help-seeking
    behaviors, eliminating stigma, and increasing visibility and access to
    critical resources. We are constantly revisiting and revising the
    portfolio to meet the needs of our people, and have increased our
    investment in this area.
    Take Care of Our People
        We are reforming operating procedures and promotion practices to
    reward initiative, applied problem solving, and innovative thinking at
    every level. A top priority as we evaluate personnel practices are the
    needs and challenges of military families, particularly dual service
    families. Senior leaders are also taking a personal and hands-on
    approach to ensure enduring excellence in housing, dependent education,
    and other quality of life concerns for our military families.
        Through a combination of non-monetary, quality of life, and
    customer service programs, we are increasing our responsiveness to the
    needs of the individual warfighters and their families, making
    continued service a viable and attractive option. We are expanding
    opportunities for civilians with prior service through the Targeted
    Reentry Program. We are also expanding avenues for personnel to learn,
    operate, and innovate with partners from the private sector, across the
    joint force, and alongside our allies.
    Defeat COVID-19
        With consistent personal and fleet discipline and continued
    refinement of best practices, we have ensured a robust, proactive, and
    coordinated COVID-19 response across the DON. We are preventing and
    containing outbreaks with minimal impact on fleet readiness, and are
    doing everything in our power to get the vaccine out to our Sailors,
    Marines and Civilians as quickly and effectively as possible.
        The DON is also working with the Federal Emergency Management
    Agency to assist local, state, and tribal governments in the overall
    vaccination effort of the Nation, building on the proactive
    contributions to the urgent medical and security needs of the American
    civilian population, including the deployment of COMFORT and MERCY to
    our Nation's two most populous cities, and the deployment of medical
    personnel to facilities in communities across the country.
        Like all Americans, the Navy and Marine Corps have adjusted to this
    global pandemic, from addressing outbreaks aboard ships, to changes in
    recruitment and training, to supporting our military families through
    extended deployments and virtual leaning. We have invested significant
    resources to upgrade the Navy and Marine Corps intranet to improve
    functionality and to enable telework for our military and civilian
    workforce.
        The Navy and Marine Corps continue to operate under Force Health
    Protection measures to protect Marines, Sailors, civilians,
    contractors, and our military families. Across the DON, we've
    implemented flexibilities to help minimize risk to military personnel
    and their families, respond to evolving situations, and ensure the
    readiness of our force. We continue to use active testing protocols to
    detect asymptomatic COVID-19 positive personnel, contain outbreaks
    aboard vessels, and conduct surveillance to detect and treat the
    disease as early as possible.
        We will not relent in these critical measures. We are well
    positioned to emerge stronger than ever, as the pandemic has forced us
    to rethink and refine our recruitment, training, and personnel
    movements across the DON, as well as our shipyard operations,
    deployments, and maintenance schedules, with efficiencies and
    applications of technology that can continue to benefit our operations
    and throughput long after COVID-19 is in our wake.
                            succeed through teamwork
        A dominant naval force is central to the effective execution of our
    strategic goals. We must be ready at all times to execute as one
    integrated naval force--Navy and Marine Corps seamlessly linked at
    every level--with common logistics, infrastructure, practices and
    support networks--executing a fleet-wide emphasis on resilient and
    combat ready forces. These integrated connections must extend beyond
    the DON as well, encompassing our vital partners across the joint force
    and the whole of government, as well as our industry partners,
    shipyards, and allies and partners around the world.
    Trust and Collaboration
        Leaders throughout the DON are actively engaged with the joint
    force and the whole of government to meet the maritime challenges that
    face our nation. One key initiative of this collaboration is the Tri-
    Service Maritime Strategy, Advantage at Sea. This is was truly
    collaborative maritime strategic planning effort led jointly by all
    three of our Nation's sea services--Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast
    Guard. In order to execute these goals, Admiral Gilday, General Berger,
    Admiral Schultz and I are working together in order to promote
    integration, communication, and collaboration as a warfighting
    priority. There can be no daylight between us as we strengthen the
    integrated all-domain Naval power of the United States.
    Operationalizing the Audit
        In my previous roles as Assistant Secretary of the Navy for
    Financial Management and Comptroller, and while Performing the Duties
    of Comptroller for the Department of Defense, I saw first-hand the
    importance of effective, transparent examination and oversight, and I
    witnessed the direct relationship of accountable financial controls to
    our frontline strength. In my current role as Acting Secretary of the
    Navy, I am determined to strengthen this process in order to provide
    our Congressional oversight partners with complete visibility and
    accountability for every dime.
        Central to this effort is building on the findings of our financial
    statement audit process, and improving that process moving forward. As
    I've emphasized to senior leaders across the Navy and Marine Corps, the
    audit is Commander's business. Accurate inventory, proper resource
    allocation, redundancy elimination are all directly connected to our
    end strength.
        We are on the right path towards obtaining an audit opinion for the
    Navy and Marine Corps general funds, and the DON working capital fund.
    We have a detailed roadmap that will guide our effort, placing a strong
    emphasis on budgetary reform, including receipt, distribution,
    execution, and monitoring.
        PB22 increases investment in DON oversight functions. In addition
    to our work on the financial statement audit, we are looking at ways to
    increase effective oversight going forward, removing redundancy and
    duplication of effort in every part of our enterprise through the
    performance audit process. I have met with leaders across the
    government and the DOD to discuss audit planning and understand areas
    of high risk, and am incorporating that feedback into the FY22 audit
    priorities direction provided to the Naval Audit Service and our
    internal control program under the Federal Managers Financial Integrity
    Act and OMB Circular A-123. Our top priority is to ensure that our
    oversight capabilities and capacity is as efficient and effective as
    possible in order to keep our promise to the American taxpayer and the
    warriors on the frontline.
    Sustaining Maritime Information Superiority
        Leaders in every functional unit and discipline have been directed
    to set business systems modernization on an integrated path that is
    sufficiently resourced and supported across the DON. We are using data
    driven decision-making to achieve tangible savings while consistently
    working to become more effective and more efficient.
        Modernization of our information technology infrastructure is a
    critical warfighting priority for the DON. Effective use and management
    of data is key to our digital transformation, and will change how we
    will fight and win at every level. We are consolidating legacy systems
    and will have moved from ten financial systems to three by the end of
    this fiscal year. I have established top-down performance management
    efforts, driven by data, to ensure the cyber resilience and strength of
    our defense business and warfighting networks.
        As an information age naval force, every DON warfighting function
    and mission area is dependent on data and information to rapidly inform
    decision-making throughout the entire competition to conflict
    continuum. The dependency on secure and reliable IT has grown
    exponentially over the last decade and is critical to maintaining a
    competitive warfighting advantage. Simply put, information is combat
    power.
        In order to generate and sustain that power, the DON is building on
    the findings of our Cybersecurity Readiness Review with an Information
    Superiority Vision, detailing how the Navy and Marine Corps will:
      --Modernize our infrastructure to bring the DON to parity with
            industry, move data and information from anywhere to anywhere
            securely.
      --Innovate and leverage emerging technology including 5G and
            Artificial Intelligence to drive capability outcomes for
            competitive advantage at speed.
      --Defend forward with robust information protection regardless of
            where data resides.
        Through Operation FLANK SPEED, the DON is shifting enterprise
    collaboration and productivity services to an enduring cloud-based
    Microsoft Office 365 solution which will provide world-class security
    and collaboration tools to improve productivity across our distributed
    workforce.
        This initiative will modernize our infrastructure to a more cloud-
    enabled, performant, and defendable network allowing data and
    information to move from anywhere to anywhere securely. It will also
    improve our overall cyber readiness posture by implementing key Zero-
    Trust-Architecture principles; securing devices and endpoints,
    establishing identity and user privileges, and introducing content and
    data rights management.
        The Marine Corps has now completed the transition of all users to
    Microsoft Office 365, and I have directed the transition of over
    470,000 users in the Navy no later than December 31, 2021. Flank Speed
    will create the capabilities needed to increase Naval lethality and our
    ability to fight and win.
        Failure to invest now will result in this effort now would further
    delay much needed improvements to our core technology infrastructure
    and leave the workforce without a sustained follow-on capability once
    the DOD-provided Commercial Virtual Remote capability is sunset in June
    2021, extending our reliance on outdated, duplicative and less secure
    legacy IT systems that cost more and deliver less, further eroding
    DON's competitive warfighting advantage.
    Strengthen Relationships with Stakeholders
        Working alongside our vital industry partners, we are aligning our
    efforts to produce the right platforms and capabilities for the
    warfighter, and ensure maximum availability and throughput from design
    to production to maintenance.
        We're working closely with our partners and suppliers in the
    defense industrial base to ensure the continued viability of the
    crucial businesses and infrastructure needed to ensure our ships,
    aircraft, and ground equipment are available when needed for the
    defense of our nation, both during the current COVID-19 challenge and
    long into the future. A robust, resilient, and nimble industrial base
    and supply chain is critical to the long term strength of our Navy and
    Marine Corps. Funding predictability and long term planning are key
    elements in ensuring the efficiency of our acquisitions and maintenance
    processes in partnership with a supply chain calibrated to deliver
    maximum value to the taxpayer and warfighter.
        At our public shipyards, the DON took aggressive steps at the start
    of the COVID-19 pandemic to implement and require safety measures to
    protect the personnel, civilians, contractors, and families. These
    steps have included maximum telework opportunities for shipyard
    employees, administrative leave for high-risk individuals unable to
    telework, altered shifts to maximize social distancing, sanitization
    and hand-washing stations throughout the shipyard, cloth face coverings
    and face shields for the workforce, and screening checks at all
    workplace entry points.
    Global Engagement
        We cannot meet the global challenges our Nation faces alone.
    Readiness requires presence and rapid capabilities in every part of the
    world, as well as specialized and localized knowledge to handle
    evolving and challenging situations. The strategic maritime defense
    partnerships we maintain today with our partners and allies extend the
    reach and power of our force. They underscore the importance of
    cooperation and coordination in maintaining the rules-based
    international order that enables so much of our global prosperity and
    security.
        Our personnel regularly train and operate alongside their foreign
    counterparts, test the interoperability of our systems, and build our
    collective readiness on the front lines of great power competition.
    Operational exercises, international port calls, joint Marine force
    training, and other interactions generate the personal contact that
    builds understanding, respect, and trust across national and functional
    lines. Our Sailors, Marines and civilian personnel know that through
    their service they are front-line diplomats for our nation. Their
    professionalism and dedication promotes the connections that strengthen
    our collective security and cultivate shared ideals that send the
    message that the United States is a friend worth having.
                                   conclusion
        Our Sailors, Marines, and civilian teammates will always be our
    greatest source of strength in a challenging and changing world. On
    behalf of each of these brave patriots and the families that serve at
    their side, I once again thank the leadership and membership of this
    Committee for your attention, interest, and ongoing commitment to the
    defense of the United States of America. It is an honor to work with
    each of you, and I look forward to your questions.

        Senator Tester. Secretary Harker, thank you for your
    statement. Now we will go to Admiral Gilday.
    STATEMENT OF ADMIRAL MICHAEL GILDAY, CHIEF OF NAVAL
                OPERATIONS, UNITED STATES NAVY
        Admiral Gilday. Chairman Tester, Vice Chairman Shelby,
    distinguished members of the committee, thank you for the
    opportunity to testify today along with Secretary Harker and
    General Berger. I am thankful for the enduring support that
    this subcommittee provides the United States Navy.
        I believe that this hearing comes at a critical time in our
    Country. The competition at sea is intensifying. China and
    Russia are rapidly mobilizing their militaries. They are
    attempting to undermine our alliances and degrade the free and
    open order.
        The Chinese battle force is the largest in the world, and
    it is growing. Backed by a robust industrial base and the
    biggest shipbuilding infrastructure in the world, they command
    a modern fleet of surface combatants, submarines, aircraft
    carriers, amphibious assault ships, and next-generation
    fighters.
        Furthermore, they are strengthening their space
    capabilities and stockpiling an arsenal of long-range missiles
    to hold us and our allies and partners at risk.
        China is deliberately modernizing for the twenty-first
    century, building all domain capabilities that rival our own.
    Make no mistake. Our fleet, your fleet, can control the seas in
    conflict and project power is sure today, but we will be
    increasingly challenged to do so in the future, unless
    difficult choices continue to be made.
        The results of analysis over the past 5 years inside and
    outside the Pentagon have been consistent, and they have been
    clear. America needs a larger, more capable fleet. Importantly,
    our latest study gave us the headlights not only for the size,
    but also for the composition of that force.
        We need to transition away from older, less capable
    platforms and deliver the platforms, weapons, and systems that
    provide overmatch. At the same time, I think that we need to
    grow. However, the Navy currently faces a task of
    recapitalizing our strategic nuclear deterrent, something we
    have not done in four decades, making a once-in-a-century
    investment in our public shipyards and preserving the current
    readiness so that our fleet can confidently operate forward and
    be relevant.
        Nearly 70 percent of the ships that we have today we will
    have a decade from now. We have to take care of the ships that
    we own, but the price tag on that readiness is rising. Over the
    last 20 years, manpower operations and maintenance costs, which
    make up over 60 percent of our budget, have grown at a rate 2.4
    percent above inflation.
        Meanwhile, our buying power is less than it was in 2010.
    Back then, we had 288 ships. Today, we have 296. Given these
    factors, if the Navy's topline remains flat or goes down, the
    size of our fleet will shrink.
        Nevertheless, we are determined to deliver the most ready,
    the most capable, and the most lethal Navy we can with the
    budget that we are given. To do this, we are improving
    maintenance in our shipyards and aviation depots.
        We are ensuring our ships are properly manned, our
    magazines are filled with ammunition, spare parts are in our
    storerooms, and our sailors are getting their steaming days and
    the flying hours they need to hone their skills.
        We are working hard on a more robust, resilient network
    infrastructure as part of JADC2 (Joint All Domain Command and
    Control).
        We are investing in long-range precision firers, like
    hypersonics and tactical Tomahawk, and we are developing
    directed energy systems, lasers, to improve fleet
    survivability.
        Our eye is on the larger, hybrid fleet. We are determined
    to build affordable capacity, including a deliberate approach
    to uncrude vessels.
        And, we are making sure every sailor can outthink and
    outfight any adversary by scaling our twenty-first century
    training framework, Ready Relevant Learning, as well as our
    investment in live, virtual constructive training.
        Senators, the average age of the Chinese fleet is 11 years.
    Ours is 21. It is time to move decisively and build a future
    Navy. We must modernize now, in this decade, or risk falling
    behind while we maintain a forward posture that keeps America
    safe and prosperous.
        I am extremely proud of our sailors, our Navy civilians,
    and our families, who have endured sustained, historic high
    optempo in the midst of this pandemic. They are the source of
    our strength, as are the patriots in our shipyards and our
    aircraft depots, and our partners in industry, companies large
    and small, who keep the production lines moving.
        Again, I am grateful for this subcommittee's support to our
    Navy and Marine Corps team, and I look forward to answering
    your questions. Thank you.
        [The statement follows:]
                Prepared Statement of Admiral Michael M. Gilday
        Chairman Tester, Vice Chairman Shelby, distinguished members of the
    Committee, thank you for the opportunity to testify today on the
    posture of the United States Navy. Moreover, on behalf of all our
    Sailors, Navy civilians, and their families, thank you for your
    continued leadership and support. With the funding provided by Congress
    these last several years, we are building back our readiness,
    strengthening our advantages at sea, and keeping our fleet deployed
    forward where it matters.
        This hearing comes at a critical time for our country. Multiple
    nations are working to undermine the free and open rules-based
    international system that has benefited so many for so long. Our rivals
    are rapidly modernizing their militaries to erode our advantages. The
    COVID-19 pandemic threatens the health and livelihood of our people.
    Climate change puts our coast lines at risk with rising seas levels and
    more severe weather. And the maritime environment--a vital source of
    our nation's prosperity and protection--has become increasingly
    contested. America's Navy is ready to meet these challenges. As we have
    done since our founding, we will set sail to defend our Nation, take
    care of our people, and succeed through teamwork.
        The President has made it clear--America stands at an inflection
    point. The choices we make today will have a dramatic impact on the
    future of our nation. The very nature of the free and open
    international system is threatened. To defend our nation, safeguard
    economic opportunity, and secure the blessings of liberty for years to
    come, we must renew our enduring advantages and work in concert with
    our allies and partners to secure the rules-based order at sea.
     america is a maritime nation--our people depend on the freedom of the
                                      seas
        The United States Navy--alongside the Marine Corps and Coast
    Guard--provides a unique, enduring advantage to the American people.
    Since our nation was founded, Americans have relied on the seas for
    prosperity and protection. For 245 years, our Navy has deployed forward
    to ensure safe passage for our commerce and to keep fights far from our
    shores. Since the end of World War II, we have sailed with like-minded
    navies to build and sustain the open, rules-based international system
    at sea. Together, we have provided stability, deterred great power war,
    and ushered in prosperity for billions across the world.
        Over time, our reliance on the seas has only grown. Today, 90
    percent of global trade by volume travels by sea, facilitating $3.7
    trillion in U.S. commerce annually and supporting 31 million American
    jobs. 95 percent of global internet traffic travels along undersea
    cables, fueling our digital economy and accounting for $10 trillion of
    financial transactions every day. The free flow of commerce--both
    physical and digital--cannot be taken for granted. It relies on the
    rules-based international system at sea and unimpeded access to markets
    through open waterways. Even minor disruptions can have extraordinary
    impacts. The recent grounding of the container ship Ever Given in the
    Suez Canal, which delayed hundreds of ships and cost the global economy
    an estimated $9.6 billion per day, highlights the importance of
    predictable passage through the world's strategic waterways. If a rival
    nation attempted to control passage through the South China Sea--a
    strategic location where $208 billion of U.S. commerce flows annually--
    the impact to the global economy would be extremely costly.

        Meanwhile, the competition for offshore resources such as
    aquaculture, energy, and rare-earth minerals is increasing across the
    globe. Currently, 93 percent of the world's fishing stocks are
    overexploited, threatening a major protein source for 3.3 billion
    people. Several nations have deployed distant water fishing fleets and
    expanded the use of maritime militias in their quest to maintain their
    lucrative fishing industries. Additionally, many nations are
    increasingly looking to maritime sources of energy and mineral wealth.
    The global oil and gas industry, which generates an estimated $3.3
    trillion in annual revenue, is turning toward energy exploration along
    the seafloor to extract untapped reserves. With trillions of dollars in
    raw resources awaiting discovery on the unmapped ocean floor, states
    and multinational companies are racing to develop capabilities for
    deep-sea mining.
        The world's oceans have always been a wellspring of wealth and
    prosperity. Today, and in the years ahead, they pose an increased risk
    of competition turning into conflict.
     the growing challenge to the united states and the open international
                                     system
        Despite benefiting from free and open seas for decades, the
    People's Republic of China (PRC) and Russia are currently working to
    undermine the rules-based international system at sea. Both are
    attempting to control access to key waters and the resources that lie
    within these waters, inhibiting freedom of the seas and overflight.
    Both are intimidating their neighbors and attempting to enforce
    unlawful claims with the threat of force. Both are expanding
    sophisticated networks of sensors and long-range weapons to hold
    important waterways at risk. Both are leveraging offensive cyber
    tactics to advance their competitive advantage, illegitimately
    obtaining U.S. intellectual property to close research and development
    gaps and disrupt our industrial base And both are attempting to replace
    the free and open international system with a more unilateral and self-
    serving one by turning incremental gains from their malign actions into
    long-term advantages--such as militarizing contested features in the
    South China Sea or illegally annexing the Crimean peninsula.
        The PRC's and Russia's revisionist approaches at sea threaten U.S.
    interests, undermine alliances and partnerships, and degrade the free
    and open international order. Moreover, the PRC's and Russia's
    aggressive naval growth and modernization are eroding U.S. military
    advantages. Unchecked, these trends will leave the Navy unprepared to
    ensure our advantage at sea and protect national interests within the
    next decade.

        The PRC--our pacing challenge--is carrying out a strategy aimed at
    the heart of America's maritime power. They are deliberately working to
    erode maritime governance, inhibit freedom of the seas and overflight,
    deter our engagement in regional disputes, and displace the United
    States as the partner of choice across the world. To achieve its
    strategic goals, the PRC has rapidly grown its Navy from 262 to 350
    ships. Today, their fleet includes modern surface combatants,
    submarines, aircraft carriers, amphibious assault ships, and polar
    icebreakers. Expanding their robust naval force with a hundreds of
    Coast Guard and maritime militia vessels, they routinely harass
    neighbors to exert pressure at a level below traditional armed
    conflict. They have built the world's largest missile force to target
    regional waters in an attempt to intimidate others. They have
    strengthened all dimensions of military power to contest the United
    States from the seafloor to space and in the information domain. Under
    the One Belt, One Road Initiative, they are extending their maritime
    infrastructure across the globe through aggressive investments,
    particularly in ports, to control access to critical waterways.

        As our U.S. Indo-Pacific Commander recently stated, the greatest
    danger for America and our allies is the erosion of our conventional
    deterrence with respect to the PRC. Absent a convincing conventional
    deterrent, the PRC will continue to take action to undermine the free
    and open conditions at sea upon which our citizens rely. While the PRC
    is expanding its influence across the globe, this challenge is most
    acutely present in the Indo-Pacific, including the East and South China
    Seas and increasingly in the Indian Ocean. History shows that a strong
    U.S. Navy provides a stabilizing influence across the world, assists in
    peaceful maritime dispute resolution, and expands economic
    opportunities for the American people. The future will prove no
    different.
       u.s. navy--deployed forward to defend america and our allies and
                        protect the freedom of the seas
        The U.S. Navy is responding to the challenges to our free and open
    international system by demonstrating our global reach, enforcing
    common principles, sustaining the conditions that enable shared
    prosperity, strengthening our alliances and partnerships, and
    modernizing our fleet to control the seas in conflict and project power
    in contested environments. Today, over 42,000 Sailors are deployed on
    111 ships and submarines to preserve freedom of the seas, deter
    conflict, and keep America and our allies safe. Together with the
    Marine Corps and Coast Guard, our Navy is delivering integrated all-
    domain naval power across the globe. And we are doing this in the midst
    of a global pandemic.

        Even with many parts of the world shut down in response to COVID-
    19, the worldwide demand for naval forces required us to maintain a
    high operational tempo, which included eight major Carrier Strike Group
    and Expeditionary Strike Group deployments in FY-20. Since I appeared
    before you last year, the Navy has continued to steam and fly from the
    Arctic Circle to the Cape of Good Hope and from the Caribbean to the
    South China Sea. Our hospital ships provided relief to American
    communities; we executed underway training events for deployment
    certification; and we conducted exercises as part of the Joint Force
    and alongside our allies and partners. Our ability to sustain a forward
    posture rests on the individual commitments of over 600,000 Sailors and
    Navy civilians and their families. Their adaptive spirit and commitment
    to COVID-19 protocols kept the force healthy and our ships at sea.
        The pandemic taught us a great deal about operating in a
    challenging environment. Our entire force learned how to adapt as we
    iterated and honed our COVID-19 Standardized Operational Guidance. Our
    logistics teams learned what it means to sustain our fleet with limited
    means. Our information technology workforce quickly scaled virtual
    private network licenses and supported the roll-out of virtual and
    remote environments to keep us connected. Our dedicated, patriotic
    shipyard and aviation depot workforce adapted to our COVID-19
    protocols, came to work, and got our ships and aircraft back to sea.
    And we learned how brittle portions of our defense industrial base
    could be if not postured appropriately. We took every opportunity to
    learn throughout this dynamic year--and shared those lessons with our
    allies and partners--to improve the resiliency of our Navy in the years
    ahead.
        We certainly did not address the challenges of continued maritime
    operations during this pandemic alone. Our broader Navy team--which
    includes Congress, industry, research institutions and laboratories,
    and our international allies and partners--overcame so much to design,
    build, and sustain our fleet through this pandemic. We cannot thank all
    of you enough. As our nation--and the world--emerges from this
    pandemic, we will continue to face the daunting challenge posed by
    long-term competition with the PRC and Russia. And we will need your
    support, now more than ever, as we modernize and recapitalize the Navy
    to sustain our enduring advantage at sea.
               timeless roles of sea control and power projection
        American security and prosperity is underpinned by the U.S. Navy's
    ability to control the seas and project power ashore in conflict. The
    world would be a less prosperous, more dangerous place if the seas were
    not open and free for the benefit of all. Every day, combat-credible
    naval forces operate forward to reassure our allies and partners,
    confront malign behavior, and deter potential adversaries from
    escalating into conflict. We preserve a stable and secure global
    maritime environment and advance prosperity through transit, trade, and
    the lawful pursuit of natural resources. Our ability to carry out these
    essential functions comes from our ability to credibly control the seas
    and project power ashore in conflict. These missions are timeless.
        Controlling the seas protects friendly shipping, provides the Joint
    Force and our allies freedom to maneuver, and denies the use of the
    seas to our adversaries. In the past, sea control required us to fight
    our adversaries on, under, and above the sea. Now, in our digital age,
    it requires us to also fight in space, cyberspace, and across the
    electromagnetic spectrum. In short, modern sea control demands the all-
    domain power of our Navy and Joint Force.
        America also needs a Navy that can influence events ashore. This
    starts with deterring nuclear attack against our nation with our
    ballistic missile submarines--the most survivable leg of the nuclear
    triad. Projecting power and influence from the seas is vital to
    deterring aggression and resolving crises on acceptable terms to the
    United States. Our Navy must field capabilities in all domains--
    employing information warfare, cyber capabilities, special operations,
    and a host of conventional weapons launched from on, under, and above
    the sea--to convince our rivals they have no viable means of achieving
    their objectives through force. Our sea control and power projection
    capabilities, alongside our strategic deterrent, provide America and
    our allies their surest guarantee of peace. If the Navy fails to
    deliver a fleet that can control the seas and project power, our nation
    will lack the conventional deterrent needed to protect America and our
    allies and expand economic opportunities for the American people.
        While America's need for sea control and power projection
    capabilities has not changed over time, how we operate and what we
    operate with is changing. Emerging technologies have expanded modern
    fights at sea into all domains. Ubiquitous and persistent sensors,
    advanced battle networks, and long range weapons have made contested
    spaces more lethal. Advances in artificial intelligence have increased
    the importance of achieving decision superiority in combat.
    Additionally, autonomous systems have shown promise for an effective
    and affordable way for us to fight and win in contested spaces. These
    technologies offer clear advantages to the militaries that integrate
    them first. America cannot afford to fall behind.
        Meanwhile, our fleet is adapting to operate in new ways. To
    preserve and promote the rules- based order, we are taking a more
    assertive posture in daily operations. We are challenging excessive
    maritime claims by sailing and flying wherever international law allows
    and expanding our decision advantage by persistently monitoring
    activities at sea to expose malign behavior that undermines the rules-
    based order. Our cyber teams are actively defending our networks and
    projecting power in the cyber domain to maintain a tactical advantage
    against our rivals. Furthermore, we are dynamically deploying our
    forces forward to deter our rivals from making incremental gains and to
    work alongside our allies and partners to keep the seas free and open.
        Should deterrence fail, our Navy stands ready to confront
    aggression and decisively win a fight. Using concepts such as the Joint
    Warfighting Concept and Distributed Maritime Operations (DMO), we will
    mass sea- and shore-based fires from distributed forces. By maneuvering
    distributed forces across all domains, we will complicate adversary
    targeting, exploit uncertainty, and achieve surprise. Controlling the
    seas by constraining or destroying adversary fleets will enable freedom
    of movement at sea and power projection ashore. Working with the Joint
    Force and our allies and partners, Navy submarines, aircraft, and
    surface ships will launch massed volleys of networked weapons to
    overwhelm adversary defenses and compel a termination of conflict on
    favorable terms. Delivering an all-domain fleet that is capable of
    effectively executing these concepts is vital to maintaining a credible
    conventional deterrent with respect to the PRC and Russia.
                       delivering all-domain naval power
        To deliver the all-domain naval power America needs, our Navy must
    evolve our capabilities and grow our capacity. The Navy--working in
    close collaboration with the Joint Force--has studied, identified, and
    prioritized the future capabilities we need to execute our evolving
    warfighting concepts and maintain a credible deterrent with respect to
    the PRC. The PRC has invested heavily in anti-access capabilities. In
    conflict, they will seek to contest all domains and hold our forces at
    risk with sophisticated networks of sensors and a large number of long-
    range, precision weapons. To effectively deter the PRC as part of the
    Joint Force, our fleet must be imbued with distributed weapons of
    increasing range and speed, more magazine depth, more mobility, more
    stealth and deception, and more sustainability. This requires a
    deliberate adjustment to our naval force structure.
        Based upon multiple rigorous, threat informed assessments conducted
    over the past five years--both inside and outside the Navy--it is my
    best military advice that America needs a larger Navy to counter the
    People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) that is growing in both capability
    and capacity. To fill critical Joint Force demands, the Navy requires
    greater numbers of submarines, smaller and more numerous surface
    combatants, more lethal offensive capabilities, a host of integrated
    unmanned platforms--under, on, and above the seas--and a modern
    strategic deterrent. We also need a robust network infrastructure to
    link our distributed forces together and resilient logistics to sustain
    them. In short, a balanced, hybrid fleet of manned and unmanned
    platforms is the most effective and affordable way to meet the security
    demands of our nation.
        Analysis has also confirmed that numbers are not the only factor--
    the composition and combat effectiveness of our fleet matters more.
    Naval power is not a function of ship numbers alone, nor is it simply a
    result of the lethal systems employed from those ships. It comes from
    the concepts that shape how we fight and the means to maintain, train,
    and equip our forces to win in combat. And it fundamentally comes from
    developing Sailors--the true source of our naval power--who can
    outthink and outfight and adversary.
        Within the scope of the President's FY-22 Budget request (PB-22),
    we are maximizing our Navy's contribution to the Joint Force. We are
    prioritizing a fleet that is ready for combat over a larger fleet that
    is not ready to fight. We are divesting of legacy assets that do not
    bring sufficient lethality to the fight and investing in next-
    generation platforms and systems that close critical Joint capability
    gaps. Meanwhile, we are prioritizing the training and education needed
    to prepare our Sailors to outthink and outfight any adversary. And we
    are using every dollar we can to sustainably grow the fleet. As we
    prepare our fleet for long-term competition with the PRC, we are
    focused on key objectives in the following areas--readiness,
    capabilities, capacity, and our Sailors.
    Readiness
        To sustain America's advantage at sea, we must deliver combat-ready
    forces to deter aggression and keep the seas free and open. Deploying
    battle-ready ships, submarines, and squadrons around the world--from
    the South China Sea to the Arctic--deters aggression, reaffirms our
    commitment to allies and partners, and keeps the seas open and free.
    Readiness underpins our forward-engaged posture and touches all
    elements of the Navy, from our shipyards and aviation depots to the
    steaming and flying hours our Sailors use to hone their skills. With
    nearly 70 percent of the fleet we will have in 2030 already in service
    today, affordably sustaining our ships and aircraft is vital to meeting
    future demands. This is why PB-22 places such an emphasis on critical
    components of our Navy's readiness.
        Our force is in a higher state of readiness today than prior to
    2017 with a healthier surge force, improved shipboard manning, better
    training for our crews, and improved parts availability. Increased
    funding, combined with cultural reforms throughout the fleet, have
    arrested the decline in our readiness and put us on a path to recovery.
    Still, we have much work to do.
        Deploying combat-ready forces starts with taking expert care of our
    platforms. To this end, we are using data-driven reforms to improve
    maintenance processes, increase operational availability, and save
    taxpayer dollars. We have seen tremendous success with these methods in
    our aviation community. For years our F/A-18 aircraft were stuck at a
    55 percent mission capable rate. At the time, we assumed only an
    increase in inputs--aircraft, manpower, or parts--could raise the
    number of ready jets available to our pilots. However, in FY-19 we
    shifted our focus to cultural reform and used the power of data-
    analytics to raise our F/A-18E/F mission capable rate to 80 percent--a
    rate we have continued to maintain throughout all of FY-20 and into FY-
    21. With higher numbers of aircraft available, our aircrew are more
    ready to fly and fight than at any point over the last decade.
        We are now applying a similar approach to improving ship
    maintenance. On-time private shipyard surface ship availability
    completion rates rose from 37 percent in FY-19 to 67 percent in FY-20.
    Meanwhile, public shipyards reduced maintenance delay days by over 75
    percent from FY-19 to FY-20. To generate these gains, we modified
    contracting strategies, increased dry dock capacity, and optimized
    facility and pier layouts. We improved planning and adjusted
    maintenance durations to better align workload with shipyard capacity.
    We also leveraged authorities provided by Congress, such as the three
    year ``Other Procurement, Navy'' pilot program, to increase flexibility
    and stabilize demand for our shipyard workforces.
        Unfortunately, COVID-19 impacted our recent ship depot maintenance
    gains--as the need to protect our people caused delays in on-time
    completion of ship maintenance. Half of our maintenance availabilities
    in both public and private shipyards are trending late due to workforce
    capacity reductions. To mitigate further impacts in our private
    shipyards, we accelerated awards of contract options and improved the
    cash positions of the industrial base. For our public shipyards, we
    mobilized over 1,300 skilled Navy Reserve Sailors, increased overtime
    usage, and rebalanced future workloads to address these delays. These
    efforts have stemmed the disruption COVID-19 caused to our shipyard
    maintenance and will mitigate work spilling over into FY-22. We are
    methodically and safely returning to normal operating conditions.
    Though some delays will continue to persist until the shipyards return
    to full strength, the production workforce in both public and private
    shipyards is returning to pre-pandemic levels.
        Sustaining our advantage at sea requires us to make targeted
    investments in critical infrastructure. This includes ensuring our
    worldwide constellation of bases are postured to sustain and support
    our fleet at sea. Of particular importance are critical elements of our
    national defense industrial base such as our public shipyards and
    aviation depots. Our Shipyard Infrastructure and Optimization Program
    (SIOP) provides a strategic roadmap for necessary investments in dry-
    docks, capital equipment, and optimizing the layout of these vital
    national assets. We have already broken ground on a perimeter floodwall
    at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, and are building a new lock system at
    Portsmouth Naval Shipyard with many more projects on the horizon. We
    are also recapitalizing our aviation depot infrastructure. Through our
    Naval Aviation Fleet Infrastructure Optimization Plan (FIOP), we are
    developing a 10-year Master Plan that provides our aviation depots the
    capacity to sustain and modernize our aircraft, engines, components,
    and support equipment. Meanwhile, we are also transforming our Navy
    enterprise shore network infrastructure into a secure, resilient
    digital platform.
        Sustaining our advantage also requires us to master all-domain
    fleet operations. To credibly deter aggression, we must integrate the
    all-domain power of the Navy with the Joint Force and our allies and
    partners. This starts with providing our Sailors adequate ranges to
    train for the high-end fight. The speed and scale of a potential fight
    for control of the seas has changed. The size of our premier Carrier
    Air Wing and SEAL training center--the Fallon Range Training Complex
    (FRTC)--is no longer sufficient. Within existing capacity, our Sailors
    cannot sufficiently train with longer-range weapons or practice the
    tactics and techniques they will need to employ against a near-peer
    threat. We will continue to work with Congress, tribal leadership,
    local communities, and key stakeholders in the year ahead to modernize
    the FRTC and ensure our Sailors have the infrastructure they need to
    train to win in combat.
        Mastering all-domain fleet operations also requires a rigorous
    learning campaign. We are conducting a series of fleet battle problems,
    wargames, and exercises to refine our concepts and capabilities. For
    example, we recently conducted our most complex exercise to date
    involving unmanned systems, which brought unmanned surface vessels and
    aircraft under the control of a Zumwalt-class destroyer--the USS
    Michael Monsoor (DDG-1001). This summer we will conduct Large Scale
    Exercise 2021--bringing together our fleets from across the globe to
    test out key components of our DMO concept. Overall, our campaign of
    experimentation and learning prepares our Sailors for high-end
    warfighting and drives updated joint concepts, fleet requirements, and
    future naval capabilities.
        Sustaining our advantage at sea depends on developing, training,
    and fielding battle ready surface force crews. As of the end of 2020,
    we have fully implemented all 111 Comprehensive Review/Strategic
    Readiness Review recommendations. Over 1,700 junior officers have now
    graduated from our new Junior Officer of the Deck course with training
    aligned to International Maritime Organization's standards. We are
    broadening the use of instructor-led virtual reality training through
    the construction of two Mariner Skills Training Centers and the
    modernization of our Integrated Navigation Seamanship and Ship handling
    Trainers. With the support of Congress, we are investing in and
    employing meaningful reforms in how we man our surface fleet, train our
    crews, schedule and execute workups and deployments, and how we equip
    and maintain the surface force.
        We will continue to invest in these key priorities and drive
    maximum efficiency from every dollar to deliver the naval power America
    needs. We are currently meeting operational demands while adapting to
    protect our Sailors and their families. But readiness recovery remains
    a long game and will require sustained funding over time to fully
    recover.
    Capabilities
        To sustain America's advantage at sea, we must deliver a more
    lethal and better connected fleet. The fight at sea is evolving
    rapidly. Emerging technologies have expanded into all domains and made
    contested spaces more lethal. Artificial intelligence and machine
    learning, autonomy, quantum computing, additive manufacturing, and new
    communications technologies are transforming the maritime environment.
    These changes emphasize the need for the Navy to develop sea control
    and power projection capabilities at speed and scale. That means more
    lethality, more survivability, better combat logistics, and a resilient
    network that connects command and control nodes, platforms, weapons,
    and sensors all together.
        PB-22 prioritizes capabilities that amplify the fleet's ability to
    disperse and project synchronized lethal and non-lethal effects from
    multiple axes and in all domains. To achieve this vision, we are
    developing a Naval Operational Architecture (NOA) that integrates with
    Joint All-Domain Command and Control. The NOA is a collection of
    networks, infrastructure, data, and analytic tools that connects our
    distributed forces and provides decision advantage. Beyond
    recapitalization of our undersea nuclear deterrent, there is no higher
    development priority. We launched Task Force Overmatch this past
    October to align resources and expertise from across our force to field
    the NOA by the middle of this decade.
        Developing longer-range, higher-speed weapons--such as hypersonic
    missiles--will give our warfighters the competitive advantage they
    need. Hypersonic missiles change the risk calculus for our rivals by
    providing a non-nuclear sea-based prompt, global strike capability. We
    are working in close partnership with the Army to deliver a truly-
    joint, conventional hypersonic weapon across land and sea-based
    platforms. We conducted a successful test of our common hypersonic
    glide body in March 2020, which keeps our Conventional Prompt Strike
    program on- track to field this game changing capability by the mid-to-
    late 2020s. PB-22 signals our strong support for developing this vital
    joint capability.
        Our adversaries are attempting to deter us with massive numbers of
    sea- and shore-based missiles. To complicate their ability to
    understand the potential battlespace, we are investing in Counter-
    Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Cyber, Intelligence,
    Surveillance, Reconnaissance, and Targeting systems. Our response also
    includes fielding an inexhaustible directed-energy system that
    accurately and reliably defeats anti-ship cruise missiles (ASCM). The
    High Energy Laser Counter ASCM Project is expediting the development of
    critical technologies to protect our ships from the cruise missile
    threat. At the same time, we are pursuing other directed energy
    initiatives in parallel--such as the 150 kilowatt class laser weapon
    system--to accelerate learning and fielding of this critical
    capability. The recent demonstration onboard USS Portland showed how we
    can disable an unmanned aerial vehicle using directed energy. We will
    continue to invest in laser technology and non-kinetic defensive
    systems to increase fleet survivability while maintaining free magazine
    space for our offensive weapons.
        Our logistics enterprise and strategic sealift capacity are also
    vital to sustaining our advantage at sea and keeping the Joint Force
    operating forward. Accordingly, we are modernizing networks and
    communication and navigation systems of our Combat Logistics Force to
    best posture this aging fleet to operate in a contested environment. We
    are also investing in increased fuel distribution capacity as well as
    improvements in our expeditionary rearm capabilities and resuscitative
    care surgery systems. Specific to the Sealift Fleet, which provides
    inter-theater lift capability to the Joint Force, we have accelerated
    recapitalization, leveraging a ``buy used'' strategy to replace our
    least ready vessels, and invested in service life extension for the net
    effect of increased readiness. We are grateful for Congress's
    authorization to affordably revitalize our Sealift Fleet with used
    vessels. We are moving ahead with purchasing two used ships in 2021 and
    five used vessels in PB-22, signaling our continued support for this
    approach. We will continue to work with Congress to efficiently
    recapitalize this critical capability in the years ahead and request
    that Congress remove remaining obstacles to used ship procurement. Our
    longer-term plan is to construct new vessels to replace prepositioned
    vessels in the Maritime Prepositioning Force as those ships begin to
    reach expected service life at the end of this decade.
        Pivoting toward the future and resourcing needed capabilities--
    especially in the Indo-Pacific region--requires tough choices. To
    invest in the next-generation capabilities we need to meet the
    challenge of near-peer competitors, we need to divest of our legacy
    capabilities that no longer bring sufficient lethality to the fight. We
    will work transparently with Congress to make these critical divestment
    decisions and free up resources to modernize the fleet.
    Capacity
        To sustain America's advantage at sea, we must field a larger,
    hybrid fleet that is designed for sea control and power projection. To
    provide a credible conventional deterrent in peace and win in war, we
    need to sustainably generate cost-effective platforms and mature
    unmanned systems. This transition will increase the capacity of the
    fleet, expand our ability to distribute our forces, and rebalance the
    fleet away from exquisite, manpower-intensive platforms and toward
    smaller, less-expensive ones. By growing a hybrid fleet--on, above, and
    below the seas--we will ensure our success across the continuum of day-
    to-day competition, crisis, and conflict.
        As we design and build a larger, hybrid-fleet, our number one
    acquisition priority remains delivering the Columbia-class ballistic
    missile submarine on time. No mission is more important to our nation
    than providing a secure and reliable strategic nuclear deterrent. Our
    ballistic missile submarines are the most survivable portion of our
    nuclear triad and provide an assured response to any strategic nuclear
    attack on the United States. With our Ohio-class submarines nearing the
    end of their service life, we cannot afford to get behind in delivering
    on the Columbia program. The first submarine is starting construction
    this year with the second boat on-track for procurement in FY-24. We
    will continue to drive affordability, technology development, and
    integration efforts to ensure the program remains on schedule and our
    ballistic missile submarines remain on patrol in the decades ahead.
        Meanwhile, our future fleet places a premium on expanding our
    undersea advantage. During conflict, sea control and sea denial from
    beneath the waves are among our Navy's core advantages--we cannot
    afford to yield any ground to our competitors. We are now planning to
    construct the tenth Block V Virginia-class submarine with a Virginia
    Payload Module (VPM). PB-22 underscores our sustained support for
    procuring two Virginia-class submarines per year. Sustainable
    production of the Virginia-class submarine, in addition to the
    development of a follow-on attack submarine program, is key to
    sustaining our undersea advantage in the years ahead.
        As we shift our focus toward smaller platforms that can operate in
    a more dispersed manner, there is a clear need to rapidly incorporate
    unmanned systems into our fleet architecture. They expand our
    intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance advantage, add depth to
    our missile magazines, enhance fleet survivability, and provide more
    risk-worthy vessels to operate inside the weapons engagement zone of
    any adversary. In other words, they give our operational commanders
    flexible and effective options to maneuver within a contested
    environment. The Navy is taking a deliberate approach to developing
    unmanned systems through our Unmanned Campaign Framework. Our framework
    lays out an overarching vision on how we intend to produce tested and
    proven systems at scale, as well as develop the core technologies
    required to successfully integrate unmanned systems on, below, and
    above the sea. By the end of this decade, our Sailors must have a high
    degree of confidence and skill operating alongside proven unmanned
    platforms. The combined capability of manned and unmanned systems will
    provide our operational forces the advantage we need in a future fight.
        Nuclear powered aircraft carriers are the most survivable and
    versatile airfields in the world. For decades to come, they will remain
    a cornerstone of the Navy's forward presence, sea control, and power
    projection capabilities. USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) represents a
    generational leap in the aircraft carrier's capacity to project power.
    Over the past year, Ford has been underway, executing over 7,100 total
    launches and recoveries with the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System
    and Advanced Arresting Gear. Additionally, over 30,000 pounds of
    ordnance has been moved, loaded and expended by embarked F/A-18
    aircraft using Advanced Weapons Elevators (AWEs). Seven of Ford's AWEs
    have completed certification and the remaining four are on track to
    certify by this summer. We expect Ford to be cleared for blue water
    operations later this year and ready for employment in 2022.
        The striking power of our Carrier Air Wing is vital to controlling
    the seas and projecting power in a high-end fight, and the adaptability
    of the air wing keeps our carriers relevant for 50-plus years of life.
    The air wing of today is currently transforming with the addition of
    the F-35C, the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye, and the CMV-22B Osprey. PB-22
    increases our F-35 inventory to get the fleet closer to a fourth
    generation and fifth generation fighter mix. Carrier Air Wing TWO--
    which includes the first operational F-35C squadron--is currently
    undergoing pre-deployment training and will deploy later this year.
    Meanwhile, we are rapidly developing the MQ-25 Stingray--the Air Wing's
    first unmanned platform--to extend the striking range of our fleet. And
    we are laying the groundwork for the highly networked air wing of the
    future--a 6th generation family of systems that leverages manned-
    unmanned teaming--which will deliver overwhelming firepower in
    contested spaces in the years ahead. Delivering a 6th generation family
    of systems is vital to keeping pace with PRC fighter development and
    sustaining our advantage over the seas. America cannot afford to fall
    behind.
        We are also going through a surface combatant reset on ship design
    and construction to provide the next enduring hull forms for small and
    large surface combatants. Our surface combatant inventory is aging with
    limited options for future upgrades. At the same time, our future fleet
    design places an emphasis on greater numbers of small surface
    combatants. The Constellation-class frigate is a versatile, multi-
    mission platform capable of supporting day-to-day operations and the
    high-end fight. We began cutting steel on Constellation this year, and
    we are excited to incorporate this ship into the fleet in 2026.
    Meanwhile, the future large surface combatant (DDG(X)) will bring the
    space, weight, and power needed to incorporate future capabilities for
    the high-end fight such as high power lasers, long-range strike, and
    sensor growth. Together, both ship classes will bring more lethality,
    more survivability, more endurance, and more self-sufficiency to the
    fleet.
        We are not just building better ships--we are building ships
    better. The Navy is mindful of past shipbuilding efforts that did not
    perform to plan, which is why we are moving ahead in ways that
    deliberately reduce risk. Early and sustained industry involvement,
    robust land based testing, and focused design maturity are foundational
    to our shipbuilding approach. We appreciate the strong support from
    Congress in FY-21. Delivering ships on time, on budget, and within
    performance targets is our priority.
    Sailors
        To sustain America's advantage at sea, we must recruit, develop,
    and retain a seasoned team of naval warriors. The strength of our naval
    power depends on the strength of our Sailors--active and reserve,
    uniformed and civilian. In the long-term strategic competition we face
    today, every Sailor must be able to outthink and outfight any
    adversary. Our Navy must remain the best trained, finest educated, and
    most ready maritime force in the world. We recognize the strength we
    gain from a diverse force and our actively pursuing combat-minded
    Sailors with varied backgrounds, experiences, and thought to build up
    our readiness and resilience. As we take care of our Sailors, we will
    accelerate their development and harness their talents to keep America
    safe and prosperous.
        As we modernize our fleet, we are modernizing our talent management
    systems to better recruit, train, retain, and support our Sailors. We
    achieved our accession goal of 39,600 new active duty Sailors in FY-20
    to further improve afloat manning and filled operational billets to
    their highest point in six years. PB-22 makes a slight reduction in our
    end-strength with the divestment of legacy ships. However, the demand
    for a highly trained, diverse force has not abated. We are grateful to
    Congress for the generous pay raises and personnel reforms. The Navy is
    leveraging both--alongside our talent management initiatives--to better
    recruit and retain our incredibly talented force. Meanwhile, we
    continue to transform our MyNavyHR infrastructure to rapidly deliver
    services to our Sailors and families at a reduced cost. This includes
    the DOD-leading mobile applications that help with the challenge of
    military moves and finding childcare or housing and the MyNavy Career
    Centers which proved vital during the COVID-19 pandemic.
        We are continuing to cultivate a culture of excellence across the
    fleet, which builds resilience and strengthens our Navy's enduring
    standards of professional competence and personal character. Over the
    past year, our culture of excellence campaign has strengthened the
    signature behaviors that define our service to prevent the occurrence
    of destructive behaviors--such as sexual harassment or discrimination.
    At the same time, we have maintained a resolute focus on preventing the
    scourge of sexual assault within our ranks. PB-22 increases our
    civilian Sexual Assault Prevention and Response workforce to provide
    greater support for our Sailors and drive down investigation timelines.
    Overall, we are providing more training, more tools, and more resources
    so every Sailor receives the support they need.
        We are also actively building a workforce that represents the full
    diversity of America and the strength it brings. Task Force One Navy
    (TF1N) was launched last year to analyze and evaluate issues in our
    military that detract from Navy cohesiveness and readiness. The task
    force released their report in January 2021 and highlighted 56
    recommendations that will elevate a culture of diversity, equity, and
    inclusion throughout the fleet. Respect and the promise of opportunity
    are core to our Navy, and we are committed to implementing TF1N reforms
    and ridding discrimination, sexism, and other forms of structural
    biases from our ranks.
        Without a doubt, the vast majority of Sailors in the U.S. Navy
    serve every day with honor, character, and integrity. However, we
    cannot be under any illusions that extremist behaviors do not exist in
    our Navy. As directed by the Secretary of Defense, each command across
    the fleet conducted a stand down to address extremism within our ranks.
    Racism, injustice, indignity, and disrespect keeps us from reaching our
    potential--an inclusive, respectful, professional fighting force that
    answers the Nation's call with unparalleled readiness and lethality.
    The stand down was only a starting point; this will be an ongoing
    fight. We are committed to eliminating extremist behavior and all of
    its corrosive effects on our fighting force.
        The intellectual investments we make in each Sailor provide a key
    advantage over our rivals. To strengthen our advantage in this area, we
    are aligning the curriculum and research of the Navy's education
    enterprise to deliver warfighting advantage in our operations at sea
    and in how we design, deliver, and generate our forces. Additionally,
    the Naval Community College is on track to provide our Sailors
    opportunities for education in fields that strengthen the service.
    Maintaining educational relationships with our international partners
    through exchanges and scholarships remains a priority for us to deepen
    enduring relationships and broaden understanding between likeminded
    navies.
        To ensure our Sailors are ready for any challenge on the horizon,
    we are scaling Ready Relevant Learning (RRL) and Live, Virtual,
    Constructive (LVC) training. RRL provides the right training, at the
    right time, in the right way for our Sailors. It replaces ``one-and-
    done'' classroom training events with career-long learning continuums
    through a mix of in-classroom instruction and modern training methods.
    LVC technology blends the intensity of underway operation with high-
    fidelity synthetic training, allowing our Sailors to master high-end
    tactics in secure and controllable conditions. Our force will always
    fall back to their baseline under the stress of combat--RRL and LVC
    will raise their baseline.
                                   conclusion
        Let there be no doubt--America is a maritime nation. Our security
    and prosperity are inextricably linked to the seas. For 245 years--in
    both calm and rough waters--your Navy has stood the watch to protect
    our homeland, preserve the freedom of the seas, and defend our way of
    life. For generations, we have provided a bulwark against aggression
    and have underwritten the international order that led to an
    unprecedented era of peace and prosperity. Now that order is under
    threat.
        As the President stated, we are at an inflection point. The PRC's
    rapid military growth and aggressive behavior at sea has put it on a
    trajectory that will challenge our maritime advantage in the years
    ahead. Our naval forces--and the American people--must maintain a
    clear-eyed resolve to compete, deter, and--if necessary--defeat our
    rivals, while accelerating the development of a larger and more lethal
    future fleet. We must do so while integrating more closely with the
    Marine Corps and Coast Guard to generate integrated all-domain naval
    Power. Only by working as a team and taking care of our people will we
    be able to defend the nation in the years ahead. We must move
    deliberately, but also with speed. Our actions this decade will shape
    the maritime balance of power for the rest of this century.
        On behalf of more than 600,000 active and reserve Sailors and Navy
    Civilians, thank you for giving me the opportunity to testify today. I
    am grateful to this committee, and to all of your colleagues in
    Congress, for your steadfast commitment to the Navy. We look forward to
    sailing alongside you to sustain our advantage at sea.

        Senator Tester. Thank you, Admiral Gilday.
        Next up, it is you, General Berger.
    STATEMENT OF GENERAL DAVID H. BERGER, COMMANDANT,
                UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS
        General Berger. Chairman Tester, Ranking Member Shelby, and
    distinguished members of this committee, thank you for the
    opportunity to testify on the posture of your Marine Corps this
    morning, our priorities, and the resources required to fund it
    all.
        Over the past 2 years, since becoming Commandant, I have
    come to better understand and appreciate the bipartisan support
    of this committee, which I think is critical to creating and
    sustaining the force we have today, but also the force we are
    going to need for the future. I realize there are competing
    national priorities you must wrestle with, and that is going to
    put pressure on Defense budgets. But, I am also confident that
    you appreciate the severity of the security environment today.
        The global competition, which the Chairman and Ranking both
    mentioned, with China and Russia is accelerating. Your military
    is going to need more advanced capabilities to effectively
    compete, to reassure our allies and partners, and to deter war.
        Force Design 2030 is the Marine Corps' answer to creating
    the cutting-edge capabilities that will better enable the fleet
    and the joint force to deter, to compete, and to respond with
    ready forces to any crisis anywhere on the globe.
        We are roughly 2 years into our Force Design effort. And
    while I am encouraged by our progress, I am not satisfied by
    the pace of change. We must move faster. To accelerate our
    modernization, we, as a service, need to do a better job of
    explaining the details of Force Design 2030 to yourselves and
    to your staff, and that is my responsibility as your
    Commandant.
        It is important that this committee understands that the
    capabilities we seek are not the stuff of science fiction. They
    are already programs of record based on proven technology. And,
    while we do not have sufficient time this morning to address
    the full scope of our Force Design effort, I do want to
    highlight three key capabilities.
        First is long-range precision fires for sea denial and sea
    control. Over the past several years, we have proven that our
    existing HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System)
    vehicles can hold naval vessels at risk with ground-based,
    anti-ship missiles. Through aggressive experimentation, we
    can--we have further enhanced that capability.
        This year, we successfully launched a naval strike missile
    from a modified, unmanned, joint light tactical vehicle,
    hitting a target at sea underway. This system, which we call
    the Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System, or
    NMESIS, is exactly the type of capability that Combatant
    Commanders are calling for to enhance their deterrent posture.
        Second is unmanned ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance,
    Reconnaissance). In 2020, we began a transition to a mixed
    capability of long-range ship and ground-based, unmanned aerial
    systems, to include the MQ-9 Reaper. The Reaper has a proven
    capability that will significantly expand our organic ISR and
    enable us to better support fleet and joint operations,
    including anti-submarine operations.
        We have also initiated a partnership with industry to
    develop a future autonomous, long-range, unmanned surface
    vessel. That is going to significantly improve the
    reconnaissance capability of our Marine Expeditionary Units, or
    MEUs.
        Third, we are investing in loitering munitions. These
    swarming aerial munitions, which employ automatic target
    recognition, have proven exceptionally lethal in recent global
    conflicts, most recently in Europe. Our own tests have also
    demonstrated this technology to be effective with five of five
    successful shots during testing.
        We plan to equip our infantry and reconnaissance Marines
    with this loitering capability. Mounting those munitions on
    both ground vehicles and long-range unmanned surface vessels--
    the one I mentioned earlier--and we will make a final decision
    on vendors this year.
        With that brief update in mind, a fair question I think
    might be to ask, How do you plan to pay for all these new
    capabilities and other force design investments? Recognizing
    today's budget environment, the Marine Corps has, for the past
    2 years, and we will continue, pursuing a cost-neutral approach
    to force design. We will self-fund our modernization. To ensure
    the success of this approach, I will ask for your support in
    reducing the total procurement of some platforms, commensurate
    with the recent reductions in our end strength.
        The fact is, today's Marine Corps is significantly smaller
    than it was a decade ago--about 24,000 Marines smaller. That
    means we will not need as many ground vehicles. We will not
    need as many aircraft as we thought we did when initial
    procurement decisions were made decades ago. It is just simple
    math.
        With the reductions outlined in our force design report, I
    believe we will have sufficient resources to create the modern
    capabilities required for competition, deterrence, and crisis
    response without a further reduction in our end strength.
        That approach, however, relies 100 percent on this
    committee's confidence in allowing the Marine Corps to retain
    and reallocate the internal resources we generate through end
    strength reductions, cutting legacy platforms, and right-sizing
    previously set programs of record for new capabilities, like
    the F-35, CH-53K, and the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle.
        My promise to you as Commandant is to remain the very best
    steward of taxpayer dollars, and I ask for your continued
    support to ensure your Marines, which are the Nation's force in
    readiness, remain ready to respond to any crisis, anywhere in
    the world, today, and into the future.
        Like the Acting Secretary mentioned, I welcome the
    opportunity to work with this committee, and I look forward to
    your questions, both in this hearing and in the weeks to come.
        [The statement follows:]
                 Prepared Statement of General David H. Berger
        Chairman Tester, Vice Chairman Shelby, and distinguished members of
    this committee, thank you for this opportunity to present the annual
    report on the Marine Corps. More importantly, thank you for your
    continued support and leadership over this challenging year. I believe
    strongly that major change in existing force structure and ways of
    doing business are needed in this era of renewed great power
    competition. The strategic environment the Marine Corps and joint force
    operate in has changed, as has the domestic context as a result of the
    ongoing COVID-19 and related relief measures. We must therefore make
    appropriate adjustments to our investment plans to ensure a proper
    return on the taxpayers' investment. The promotion and sustainment of
    the Marine Corps that our nation and fleets will need in 2030 and
    beyond requires your continued active support.
        Since testifying last year, our nation has engaged in a long
    overdue conversation on race and social justice sparked by several
    visible incidents of institutional racism, and perhaps more
    importantly--how to remedy the inequities of the present. As with all
    other Americans, I--and every other Marine--have acknowledged these
    challenges, and will continue to do our part to overcome them once and
    for all. While confronting issues of inequality, we have simultaneously
    endured the adverse consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. Like
    millions of others, Marines and their families across the country and
    globe suffered the consequences of isolation, closure of our public
    schools, and increased childcare demands; and like those millions of
    other Americans, Marines made the necessary sacrifices to stop the
    spread. I am proud of every one of those Marines with their collective
    leadership and of their ability to rapidly adapt and lead by example.
        Our nation witnessed a small but violent minority attempt to
    subvert the rule of law through an overt act of violent coercion on
    January 6, 2021. Like most every other American, I was shocked by this
    attack on our democracy. I was even more dismayed to learn that some of
    those engaged in that attack had previously served in the military--to
    include the United States Marine Corps. Thankfully, we as a nation and
    military have done as we always do--learned, endured, and grown
    stronger. We have and will continue to actively work to identify
    recruits and Marines who hold extremist views and we look forward to
    participating in the Secretary of Defense's new Countering Extremism
    Working Group to develop additional methods of keeping extremists from
    within our ranks.
        Over the past year, I have continued to communicate my
    understanding of the future demands of naval expeditionary warfare and
    maritime gray zone competition. Related to the future of naval
    campaigns, I have articulated a case for change to reinforce and expand
    existing naval warfighting advantages and create future strategic
    advantages. It is abundantly clear that a future operating environment
    characterized by a maturing and proliferating precision strike regime
    will place heavy demands on our Nation's Naval Services. We are not yet
    organized, trained, equipped, or postured to meet those demands and
    support fleet operations. This is no longer a controversial assertion
    as it was when my predecessor first uttered it. The vast majority of
    defense professionals--including the Members of the bipartisan Future
    of Defense Task Force--perceive the same challenges I do in the
    emerging operating environment, as well as the urgent need for real
    innovation and rapid change in response. Although there is an ongoing,
    healthy debate about how and what we should change across the Armed
    Services, there are very few lining up to defend the status quo. We
    must continue to discuss these changes, but defense professionals have
    almost unanimously acknowledged that real change is required--and soon.
        Though some things require substantial change, we should be clear
    to acknowledge those foundational tenets which remain as relevant and
    operationally suitable today as they have been over the previous 70
    years. In 1952, Members of Congress noted the Marine Corps ``can
    prevent the growth of potentially large conflagrations by prompt and
    vigorous action during their incipient stages. The nation's shock
    troops must be the most ready when the nation is least ready...to
    provide a balanced force-in-readiness for a naval campaign and, at the
    same time, a ground and air striking force ready to suppress or contain
    international disturbances short of large-scale war...'' This role as
    the nation's force-in-readiness, prepared to create strategic advantage
    via its ability to be quickest to respond to either crisis or conflict,
    and prepared to both prevent and contain conflict below the threshold
    of traditional armed conflict remains as valid today as it was when
    first articulated.
                        personnel and talent management
        None of our Force Design 2030 aspirations are possible without
    addressing the people within our ranks. As Secretary Austin
    highlighted, ``our most critical asset...is our people.'' I believe
    this is even more relevant within the Marine Corps. Marines are the
    heart and soul of the Corps. Almost all of your 225,000 Marines serve
    honorably every day, representing the very best of our country and your
    constituencies. No institution, however, is without flaws. As I noted
    last year, malignant individuals and small malignant subcultures
    continue to exist within your Marine Corps. In this era of profound
    ideological division within our nation, some individual Marines
    regrettably bring with them, or fall victim to while in service,
    misogynistic, racist, and homophobic/transphobic ideologies driven by
    hate, fear, and ignorance. While I have instituted even more rigorous
    policies than previously existed to ensure we identify such individuals
    during enlistment and accession screening, I remain committed to
    identifying and holding accountable any Marine unable to uphold our
    core values and to adhere to our unapologetically high standards. This
    is what you should expect from me, and you will get it.
        Within the context of the larger national conversation on race,
    social justice, and equality, it became clear to me early in my
    Commandancy that there were symbols and behaviors within our Corps that
    challenged the cohesion and unity essential to military effectiveness.
    The Confederate Battle flag stood out as one such symbol. I am not a
    historian and do not take a position as to the true meaning of this
    ancient banner, but some in today's world have rallied around the
    colors of that defeated rebellion to foster division and hate. As a
    result, I prohibited its display aboard all Marine Corps installations
    beginning last spring. My primary responsibility is to prepare Marines
    to fight and win in combat, and we cannot tolerate artificial division
    driving wedges among your Marines--especially ones so easy to identify
    and remove. I will do everything within my authority to remove any
    obstacle preventing equality and cohesion. Signs or symbols that
    support or endorse hatred, ignorance, or injustice have no place in our
    Corps.
        While these acknowledgements of past prejudice are good first
    steps, we must do more than simply look over our shoulders at the past.
    We must acknowledge the real bias and obstacles in the system today. We
    must promote and retain the very best Marines; however, it is clear to
    me that a degree of structural racism and sexism exists within our
    current system. We must create a system of structural equality that
    ensures all Marines--of all backgrounds--are able to use their best
    talents to solve the problems we soon will face. The diversity of
    thought and actions each Marine brings will help us find more creative
    and innovative solutions to these future challenges. We must actively
    work to retain and grow this diversity of thought through a more
    diverse group of talented individuals, while at the same time
    protecting against extremism.
        Over the past decade and in close coordination with Congress, we've
    prioritized the prevention of sexual harassment and sexual assault as
    well as dedicated tremendous effort into providing the appropriate
    response to these criminal acts. I am convinced of the linkage between
    sexual harassment and sexual assault, thus we will continue to make
    every effort to eliminate both from our ranks with your continued
    assistance. We have increased the number of Victim Legal Counselors
    dedicated to supporting sexual assault victims over the past 12 months.
    However, all of these efforts are dedicated to the response after a
    tragic event has occurred. We must do better at the prevention in order
    to stop sexual assault and sexual harassment before they occur.
    Although we conduct regular training aimed at preventing this from
    happening, we are still working to overcome unhealthy attitudes and
    behaviors recruits arrive with to Recruit Training. We must develop
    practices that identify those negative behaviors before they turn into
    heinous acts and prevent such behaviors from occurring in the first
    place.
        Improving the capabilities and proficiencies of the individual
    Marine necessitates we must also have the very best senior leaders for
    those Marines. I am humbled to serve alongside the General Officers and
    Flag Officers within the Department of the Navy. But even one instance
    of misconduct or misbehavior within our General Officer ranks is too
    many. Over the past decade, the Marine Corps has selected several
    officers for promotion to brigadier general who subsequently failed to
    be confirmed by the Senate. This is unacceptable. Over the coming
    months, I will announce several major policy changes related to talent
    management to include how we screen and select our commanders and most
    senior leaders. We are currently reviewing the efficacy of implementing
    a 360-degree review for all lieutenant colonels and colonels eligible
    for command selection and all colonels eligible for selection to
    brigadier general, to help ensure we identify the absolute best who
    have earned the trust and respect of juniors, peers, and seniors alike.
    In addition to these issues related to screening, I remain concerned at
    the absence of Black officers within the senior ranks of our aviation
    enterprise and specifically within the ranks of our fixed-wing pilots,
    as well as the paucity of female general officers. We are currently
    studying both issues, and will share the results of those studies once
    completed.
        As you are aware, we cannot create new senior leaders in a day. If
    we are to correct our gap in diversity at the senior ranks, we must
    also address diversity at accessions. The largest single source of
    commissioning within the Marine Corps is the U. S. Naval Academy,
    accounting for nearly 20% of officer commissions each year. A recently
    released study identified that almost 75% of the nominations to our
    service academies were given to white students. The diversity of this
    population has a direct impact on what leaders are available for
    selection to our senior ranks.
        It is not enough that we recruit and train the very best. Once
    Marines have joined our ranks, we must nurture and incentivize them
    along their individual journeys through a modern talent management
    system flexible enough to account for changing career interests and
    common life choices over time. Without such a system, we will
    increasingly struggle to retain the very best people in an ever more
    competitive marketplace. Our one-size-fits-all, industrial-era approach
    that treats individuals as interchangeable cogs within a larger machine
    does not appropriately incentivize the most talented individuals to
    remain in service. We are currently reviewing policy options that will
    offer Marines greater flexibility when it comes to tour lengths based
    on an individual's circumstances--most notably when a Marine has a
    child entering or completing high school. Our Marines must not be
    forced to choose between being good parents or being good Marines.
    Those sterling goals must be compatible. I remain committed to
    improving the lives of our Marines as they become parents and we are
    looking into ways that would prevent them from having to choose between
    the newborn and continued service as a Marine. I truly desire a Marine
    Corps known for being the best within the joint force for our treatment
    of new parents and families--and not just our warfighting prowess.
        It is a well-known issue that the Marine Corps is struggling to
    recruit and retain Americans possessing the crucial science,
    technology, engineering, and mathematical skills and competencies
    required for the future. Technology companies present exciting and
    challenging opportunities for software developers, cyber professionals,
    and engineers. We must offer opportunities that allow someone to choose
    both service and professional reward. In addition, we must do a better
    job targeting the application of our NROTC scholarships to these
    individuals, as well as explore new possibilities with Historically
    Black Colleges and Universities to satisfy these shortfalls.
        The military services--including your Marine Corps--continue to
    lose the competition with the civilian airline industry for pilots and
    maintainers, even with the adverse impacts of COVID-19 on the airline
    industry. We are not maintaining sufficient numbers of naval aviators
    and F-35 maintainers to sustain either our existing inventory of
    aircraft or aircraft programmed for the years to come. Within our F-35
    community, we have a shortfall of both pilots and maintainers. I am
    concerned that if we do not remedy these shortfalls in the very near
    future, we may be in a situation in which we are directed by Congress
    to procure aircraft for which we have insufficient pilots and
    maintainers.
                             training and education
        A key element of our larger force design transformation is our need
    to adopt an information age approach to training and education that
    produces better leaders and warfighters more effectively and
    efficiently. The essence of this approach is to focus on identifying,
    developing, and sustaining the unique talents of individual Marines,
    not turning out MOS-shaped cogs to fit MOS-shaped slots in a machine.
    Better warfighters in an era of exponential change means adaptive,
    critical thinkers who are also tactical and operational masters of
    their profession.
        Among many implications of this shift will be higher expectations
    and intellectual standards for Marines, especially commissioned
    officers, at every stage of their selection for and attendance at
    formal schools. We still need standardized training and education to
    set a baseline and inculcate our core Service values and ethos, but
    there are significant aspects of entry-level training that must be
    adapted. Much of our current understanding of future warfighting
    requirements, associated concepts, and force design point to a more
    highly trained force from the entry-level onward. We need to change how
    we train and educate as well. We have known for a long time that rote
    repetition and even ``perfect practice'' against static, unresisting
    targets is only the barest beginning of mastery. Consistent
    opportunities to make tactical and operational decisions against a
    thinking enemy must be a critical part of our curricula at all levels.
    This kind of force- on-force wargaming and training must stand on a
    solid foundation of military history and theory-games, simulations, and
    exercises are necessary, but not sufficient. We will develop that
    foundation in school, but sustain it by rigorous, accountable, self-
    directed effort. We must address the question of ``standards''
    transparently and head-on to create the force we desire, and to create
    the force we advertise. In an initial step to creating a philosophy and
    culture of a learning organization, last year I signed the first all-
    new service doctrine since 1998; MCDP 7 Learning was released in
    February and MCDP 1-4 Competing in December. In addition to releasing
    new doctrine, we have elevated command of our Training and Education
    Command to a three-star general, equal to all other Deputy Commandants,
    and are in the process of re-establishing a robust Futures Directorate.
        Achieving diversity of thought requires fixing our entry-level
    instruction to allow every new recruit and officer candidate the same
    opportunity to master these skills without it impeding their future
    career opportunities. Not every young man or woman who joins our ranks
    grew up participating in activities relevant to individual battlefield
    skills such as marksmanship, orienteering, water survival, or technical
    skills. As a matter of longstanding practice, however, we continue to
    assess potential at the very earliest stages of our recruit and officer
    training programs based on performance in precisely those skills. There
    is no doubt of the continuing importance of these military basics, but
    we cannot expect every new Marine to master those individual skills
    with the same amount of in-service instruction, regardless of previous
    experience. A new recruit who has never touched a rifle cannot be
    expected to master marksmanship in the same amount of time as a recruit
    who grew up handling rifles regularly, and a Marine who never learned
    to swim should not compete unaided for job placement with a Marine who
    grew up as a competitive swimmer. In effect, we penalize Marines who
    fail to master these basic skills because they did not start with the
    same knowledge or skill base. While holding the line on the standard of
    basic competencies that define a Marine, our entry-level training must
    provide the instruction necessary for every recruit and officer
    candidate to achieve mastery in basic skills, regardless of how much
    time it takes.
        The COVID-19 pandemic brought new challenges and opportunities to
    your Marine Corps. During the entire time, your force-in-readiness
    continued recruiting, training, operating, and deploying around the
    globe. Although we did not stop any of our activities, we did learn
    many lessons from the pandemic that we can continue to use going
    forward to make a more resilient and capable force. We devised new
    methods of virtually connecting with potential recruits and with our
    force, internally. For entry-level training, we spread out recruits
    while they slept and installed more handwashing stations, which has
    virtually eliminated the inevitable illness that the new recruits will
    pass around as they come in from all over the country. A key factor in
    this success has been the level of discipline instilled by small unit
    leaders which prevented any significant outbreaks and kept Marines
    healthy. Your Marines continue to serve their communities by
    establishing federal COVID-19 vaccine sites in local communities in
    support of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. As President Biden
    highlighted, we don't have enough people to provide vaccination shots--
    put the shots in people's arms--so Marines are filling in this
    immediate shortfall.
                           gender integrated training
        The FY 2020 NDAA directed the Marine Corps to integrate training at
    both Marine Corps Recruit Depots Parris Island and San Diego. Since the
    signing of the law, we have trained multiple integrated companies at
    MCRD Parris Island. In February, the recruits of Lima Company were the
    first gender-integrated company at MCRD San Diego in the installation's
    100-year existence. To train the first females at MCRD San Diego, we
    graduated the first gender-integrated class at Drill Instructor School
    in San Diego in December and relocated female drill instructors from
    MCRD Parris Island. We will take the lessons learned from this company
    as well as a concurrent study to identify the requirements needed to
    fulfill the 2020 NDAA within the prescribed timelines. However, as I
    have publicly stated several times, we will prioritize options that
    provide the best training and most efficient use of resources to ensure
    Marines graduating from boot camp are ready for the rigors of service
    in an elite organization during challenging times.
                                  force design
        Shortly after I testified before this Committee in the spring of
    2020, I published the Force Design 2030 report. Force Design 2030 is
    how your Marine Corps is changing its trajectory to create advantage
    for the fleets and joint force in both maritime gray zone competition
    and more traditional conflict. Although we need new capabilities to
    deter adversaries, we must fundamentally change how we think about
    armed conflict. We can no longer view warfare through the binary lens
    of war and peace, but should recognize the existence of a cyclical
    continuum of competition that occurs every day and involves all
    elements of national power. Historically, the military viewed
    maintaining the peace as deterring war through denial or by punishment.
    Force Design 2030 offers a third option in addition to those two that
    will counter strategies below the threshold of armed-conflict by
    winning the reconnaissance and counter-reconnaissance competition and
    facilitating deterrence by detection.
        At its core, Force Design 2030 is a campaign of learning. Through
    wargames, analysis, and limited experimentation, it has become clear
    the joint force needs a capability that operates persistently and with
    maximum organic mobility and dispersion to compete and deter in the
    contact and blunt layers. The vulnerability of large fixed bases and
    shore-based infrastructure to long-range precision strike, combined
    with the impracticality of defending such infrastructure from the
    pacing threat's emerging capabilities at any politically-feasible level
    of resourcing and regional posture, necessitates that the stand-in
    force be able to perform these functions from a strictly expeditionary
    and highly mobile and resilient naval posture. This refined analysis
    and understanding is what is driving our Force Design 2030 to support
    concepts like Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations (EABO), as well as
    informing the recently released Tentative Manual on Expeditionary
    Advanced Based Operations. We will continue to refine and update the
    Tentative Manual with the lessons learned from our FMF experimentation.
    In the near future, we will release our latest concept--Stand-In
    Forces.
        Much as our 29th Commandant codified maneuver warfare in our
    principal doctrine MCDP-1 Warfighting to instill a maneuver warfare
    mindset into every Marine, I felt it necessary to codify how we compete
    every day around the globe. We recently released a doctrinal
    publication entitled Competing to instill a competitive mindset into
    every Marine, whether above or below the threshold of armed conflict.
    Marines--and the military as a whole--must be aware that every action
    or inaction has an effect on reassuring our partners and allies and
    deterring our competitors. All that we do, from our force laydown, to
    the activity at each location, to the equipment we buy, signals our
    commitment to reassure and deter. In a globally connected operating
    environment, we no longer have the luxury of maintaining a binary
    combat or garrison mindset; our posture and mindset must be one of
    continuous competition.
                      naval expeditionary stand-in forces
        Expeditionary advanced bases are a platform for small, mission-
    tailored groups of Marines to distribute and hide in plain sight with
    the assistance of advanced camouflage, cover, concealment, detection,
    and deception (C3D2) capabilities against a competitor who is seeking
    to locate our forces. Expeditionary advanced bases will enable the
    convergence of capabilities from multiple domains and create the
    virtues of mass without concentration. The Marine Littoral Regiment
    (MLR)--the base unit for our future force--will provide fleet and joint
    force commanders with persistent, survivable forces that will enable
    the generation of effects within areas that our adversaries hope to
    deny to us through their integrated systems of anti-access and area-
    denial capabilities. In terms of hardware, Marine capabilities will
    include anti-ship Naval Strike Missiles (NSM) loaded on the unmanned
    Remotely Operated Ground Unit Expeditionary (ROGUE) Fires; self-
    sustainment and mobility with the Light Amphibious Warship (LAW); and,
    long-loiter aerial reconnaissance in an expeditionary environment with
    the Medium Altitude, Long Endurance (MALE) Group 5 unmanned aerial
    systems (UAS). Future infantry units operating within the MLR construct
    will be equipped with organic precision fires to include loitering
    munitions. The MLRs will be networked with our F-35 capabilities,
    providing a further layer of combat credibility and sensing. In the
    future, these forces could employ more advanced munitions such as
    Tomahawk Land Attack Munitions (TLAM), Maritime Strike Tomahawks (MST),
    SM-6 containerized anti-ship missiles; and a wide array of unmanned or
    optionally manned systems to enhance deterrence. Without these long-
    range precision fires, the MLRs will not be suitable to support the
    fleets and will lack the ability to influence the vast maritime area
    your Marine Corps must do.
        In the even more critical human domain, these capabilities will
    encompass the necessary training and education to produce leaders who
    understand how to deter competitors and provide civilian leadership
    strategic options across a wider spectrum. The MLRs will offer
    deterrence by detection through constant surveillance of the
    competitor, complicating their decision-making calculus if they attempt
    fait accompli gambits, and doing so while networked into the larger
    architecture of naval and joint command, control, computers,
    communications, cyber, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and
    tracking (C5ISR-T) articulated in the Joint All-Domain Command and
    Control (JADC2) concept and previous discussions on Mosaic Warfare.
        With global sensors becoming ubiquitous, the value of
    reconnaissance and counter-reconnaissance or scouting and counter-
    scouting will increase. Force Design 2030 offers civilian leaders
    strategic options to identify, deter, and hold accountable competitors
    challenging U.S. interests or infringing on international norms at any
    point on the globe. It creates advantage by providing uniformed and
    civilian leadership with a force capable of denying key maritime
    terrain to an adversary or to force a change in decision calculus and
    facilitate de-escalation. Those naval expeditionary forces will also be
    capable of rapidly sensing, making sense, and acting upon information
    from inside the enemy's weapon engagement zone (WEZ) in support of the
    fleet and larger joint force, further complicating adversary decision
    calculus. These stand-in forces will be able to support anti-submarine
    warfare (ASW) efforts and help sanitize key maritime straits, thus
    expanding our strategic undersea warfare advantage. Your Marine Corps
    is transforming into a force capable of competing and winning the
    hider/finder competition by proliferating sensors to detect adversary
    presence, employing advanced C3D2 for resilience, and maintaining a
    lethal array of long-range precision fires to prosecute targets at a
    time and place of our choosing--whether ashore or afloat or in the air.
    Stand-in forces will simultaneously satisfy traditional requirements
    from the fleet and combatant commanders for a modern, resilient crisis
    response force capable of responding across the range of military
    operations. And, as noted in the most recent testimony by the
    Commander, USINDOPACOM, these stand-in expeditionary forces are further
    required as the forward leading-edge to any strategic defense in the
    Indo-Pacific and any maritime defense-in-depth.
        From our continued wargaming and experimentation, we have learned
    much about the utility of multi-domain reconnaissance. As a result,
    over the coming months a new Marine reconnaissance enterprise will
    consolidate disparate elements of existing organizations within a
    structure capable of generating a coherent, persistent, forward-
    presence focused on key maritime terrain that is vital to U.S. national
    security interests. The next step will be the development of our Mobile
    Reconnaissance framework which will deliver expanded all-domain
    capabilities to our naval expeditionary forces and fleets via a
    combination of Marine Commandos, manned and unmanned surface platforms
    to include the Long-Range, Unmanned Surface Vessels (LRUSV) and small
    boats, manned and unmanned ground Ultra-Light Tactical Vehicles (ULTV),
    unmanned aerial systems, and unmanned subsurface vehicles. As with
    other force design efforts, these forces will be fully capable of
    networking with our 5th generation F-35 capabilities as well as
    connecting with the larger joint architecture.
        In addition to offering continuous surveillance in the contact
    layer, the MLR increases lethality, disbursement, mobility, and
    survivability in a way that our current stable of large, expensive,
    high-signature platforms cannot match to deter and counter aggression
    in critical regions. The MLRs will provide a unique expeditionary
    advanced base capability, but they will not be the sole definition of
    the FMF as our Marine Expeditionary Units will remain our ``crown
    jewel.'' Your Marine Corps can compete, deter, and win as part of a
    naval expeditionary force operating in international waters and with
    light footprints ashore on the territory of local allies and partners.
    It does not require the sustained presence of heavy ground forces or
    the regular deployment of large, land-based aviation elements. These
    unique capabilities make the Marine Corps the ideal choice for a force-
    in-readiness that serves as the backbone of the contact layer because
    our forces can cooperate with allied and partnered nations without
    burdening their local infrastructure, whether for steady-state
    operations or disaster response operations. Additionally, the sensing
    elements of the FMF coupled with lethality are key attributes in
    preventing conflict.
                                    posture
        21st century strategic competition requires a new posture to deter
    modern threats. Our current force posture is strikingly similar to the
    one designed coming out of the Korean War. That posture was designed to
    deter and confront a Soviet threat that consisted of strategic bombers
    and Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles. Over the last two decades, our
    strategic competitors took note of our strengths and designed forces
    specifically to counter them. We must now adjust our posture against
    the pacing threat of China due to its ability to hold our fleet at
    stand-off ranges and prevent significant force projections. This does
    not mean abandoning our forward position of advantage, but rather
    adopting a more robust and resilient forward-deployed posture as
    described in testimony by Admiral Davidson as part of a larger defense-
    in-depth.
        Marine forces working with Navy ships must occupy space within the
    contested first and second island chains in the Indo-Pacific with the
    ability to effectively operate in all domains. Guam remains one of our
    most important strategic locations as it is US territory located
    closest to contested maritime regions. In order to effectively deter by
    detection, our forces must be within sensor and striking range to
    impose cost on the adversary through their allocation of limited C5ISR-
    T assets or determining that the cost is too high to attempt anything
    that would cross the line of established international laws and norms.
    However, while Guam remains a strategically important location within
    our larger defense-in-depth, we must not ignore the potential impacts
    to it due to the adverse effects of climate change. We must take the
    necessary steps to protect Guam and the strategic advantage it
    provides.
        Our posture includes more than the laydown of our forces around the
    world, it also must include what our forces are doing in those
    locations. As Secretary Austin has told us, ``our success will depend
    on how closely we work with our friends around the world to secure our
    common interests and promote our shared values.'' Marines regularly
    conduct training with allies and partners globally. This training is
    beneficial to building trusting relationships and interoperability.
    These relationships are not--and should not be--one way, in that US
    Forces tell partners and allies how to operate. We can learn from other
    nations as much as we can teach.
        For example, the Japanese Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade may
    have used the U. S. Marine Corps as an example in its development, but
    we have much to learn from them based on how quickly they designed,
    assembled, tested, and operationalized the brigade. Our commitment to
    working with allies and partners creates a mutually beneficial
    relationship for our military organizations while simultaneously
    signaling our resolve to competitors. Initiatives like the Pacific
    Deterrence and the European Deterrence are so important in supporting
    our posture.
                              competition and risk
        Some critics of our Force Design 2030 suggest that non-stealthy
    platforms such as the LAW, LPD-17 class amphibious ship, and the
    current Group 5 UAS are operationally unsuitable for high-end
    warfighting. This critique's foundational assumption is that our
    decades-old stealth technology or military-standard naval architecture
    will be overcome with technological countermeasures and that stealth
    technologies will become affordable enough to proliferate the operating
    environment in large quantities. Survivability under such conditions is
    likely to prove far more a matter of quantity, dispersion, signature
    management, and distributed lethality than of being able to avoid
    technical detection or defend against all threats. We must view
    survivability in terms of the entire system--the entire system must be
    able to survive long enough to accomplish the mission vice an
    individual platform. The expeditionary system of platforms our Marines
    employ--and the networks they operate on--must be capable of competing
    and deterring below the level of armed conflict as well as fight at the
    high-end to reassure our partners and allies as well as demonstrate a
    credible capability to a would-be adversary. For example, while not a
    part of the currently envisioned program, LAWs operating in plain sight
    with containerized missiles could effectively compete and deter. Such a
    reimagining of the program could involve greater costs, so we will have
    to study the benefits and make resource informed decisions about
    tradeoffs in capabilities and capacity. Traditional amphibious ships,
    such as the LPD-17s, possessing tactical advantages derived from well-
    decks will confound adversaries and force them to consume resources
    attempting to positively identify those capabilities loaded inside--
    whether unmanned surface vessels, unmanned underwater vessels, or more
    traditional capabilities. Long-endurance Group 5 UAS, like the MQ-9,
    also provides the persistent presence necessary to win the hider/finder
    competition for the fleet. Additionally, a proven platform like the MQ-
    9 supports quickly learning the platform through the experience of the
    US Air Force while continuing adaptation and innovation over time as we
    procure the future system.
        If competition expands from opening volleys or punishment strikes
    to large-scale conflict, the Fleet Marine Force offers the Joint Force
    Commander a persistent stand-in force capable of conducting
    reconnaissance, counter-reconnaissance, and targeting in the blunt
    layer. A stand-in force with the ability to support allies and partners
    while striking the adversary with long range precision fires, 5th
    generation short take-off and vertical landing aircraft, and a host of
    electronic warfare options combined with the mobility of the Amphibious
    Combat Vehicle (ACV), LAW, and unmanned surface and undersea vehicles
    provides a survivable option to buy time for the remainder of the joint
    force to bring war-winning capabilities.
                            logistics and resilience
        Sustaining the force we are developing now becomes even more
    critical in the years ahead. The relative ease with which we have been
    able to project power into the Middle East over the last few decades
    has lulled us into a false sense of security. As a result, we have
    optimized service logistics efforts to support requirements without
    regard to the threat actions that could disrupt them. My predecessor
    said ``we are going to have to fight to get to the fight.'' I will take
    that a step further by saying we will have to fight to sustain our
    warfighting efforts over time. The Joint Logistics Enterprise must
    connect our emerging operational concepts at the tactical edge all the
    way back to the defense industrial base. We have been an end user of
    the system, but that needs to change. We must develop new methods for
    the Naval Force to enable broader joint force sustainment efforts. On a
    day-to-day basis, today's distributed force strains our systems to the
    limits. This will only get more challenging considering the dynamic,
    evolving threats that competitors can apply against our supply chains,
    manufacturing bases, and global sustainment network.
        Based on anticipated funding levels and the additional budget
    uncertainty that has been introduced by the COVID-19 response, we must
    clearly consider risk as we move forward. Our force design efforts for
    the future will provide the context necessary to make the difficult
    choices for our installations and logistics enterprise. We can no
    longer accept the inefficiencies inherent in legacy bureaucratic
    processes nor accept incremental improvements. In order for our
    installations and logistics organizations to change effectively, we
    must better understand the implications that Force Design 2030 will
    have on the FMF across multiple time horizons so we can resource our
    installations and logistics enterprise appropriately. In coordination
    with partners both inside and outside the service, we will evolve our
    organization to meet the future FMF's operational requirements in the
    air, on land, and at sea while continuing to provide world-class
    support to the force today. This may require a change in the existing
    command relationships between the bases and stations and the forces
    they support. I will keep the committee fully informed of any such
    changes as our understanding evolves. Finally, in an effort to
    modernize our bases and stations in a manner commensurate with our
    overall force design, we are experimenting with advanced force
    protection systems enabled by artificial intelligence at several of our
    installations. This capability is promising and may provide the service
    an opportunity to greatly enhance the protection of our installations
    while drastically cutting personnel costs.
                       major defense acquisition programs
        I have always operated under the assumption that evidence, wargame
    findings, modeling and simulations, and my own best military advice as
    Commandant would persuade people across the defense enterprise and
    within Congress that we need change now. While I remain convinced that
    this assumption remains valid and look forward to a continued dialogue
    with the Committee, we have more work to do to persuade key audiences
    of the merits of our desired changes. Congressional support for Ground
    Based Anti-Ship Missiles (GBASM); LRUSV; Medium Altitude, Long
    Endurance UAS; and I believe that Light Amphibious Warship (LAW) will
    be essential to our modernization efforts. We will continue to work
    with the Congress to demonstrate the importance of a rapid acquisition
    of these critical capabilities. I have repeatedly asked for
    Congressional support to change legacy programs that are no longer
    operationally relevant or have become cost prohibitive, as well as
    support for new initiatives that create a relative warfighting
    advantage. This is the kind of agility we will need going forward in
    order to sustain that warfighting advantage.
        Based on my understanding of the strategic challenges before us and
    my desire to remain the best steward of taxpayer dollars, I am
    convinced that we must be willing to critically assess the scope of
    current Programs of Record for our Major Defense Acquisition Programs
    (MDAP). As we reduce the end strength of the Marine Corps in order to
    internally fund our modernization, each MDAP must be reevaluated for
    capacity and sustainability. We will need the continued support of
    Congress to re-scope any program that exceeds our requirement or is
    unaffordable to procure, man, and sustain.
        In addition, we should acknowledge that up to three quarters of a
    weapon system's cost occurs in sustainment--the operational and
    maintenance upkeep after the initial acquisition. With the new
    procurement of large weapon systems like the F-35B/C, CH-53K, MV-22,
    JLTV, and ACV--to name but a few--we should be prepared to modify
    programs of records to ensure affordability and viability throughout
    the entire lifecycle of each program. Prioritizing high-end platforms
    without resourcing the supplies and infrastructure needed to sustain
    its operational capability is fundamentally irresponsible; the result
    would be a hollow force.
        With every dollar we expend to upgrade a legacy platform that is no
    longer survivable against a peer competitor, we are slowing our rate of
    transformation. Our competitors no longer wait to see what America does
    and follow suit; they have embarked on their own trajectory, which
    currently outpaces ours. Our Force Design 2030 addresses this problem
    by forcing the competitor to adapt to us through the tactical,
    operational, and strategic challenges a truly modern force presents.
    This does create domestic dilemmas as we are forced to transition from
    legacy platforms built in certain districts to modern and relevant
    equipment that may be built elsewhere. However, if we are to succeed in
    this great power competition, we must make those difficult choices. I
    remain confident that this can occur in a responsible and balanced way,
    without creating winners and losers, and look forward to discussions
    with each of you on a way ahead that satisfies shared interests.
        The Marine Corps remains constrained by an acquisition process that
    tries to eliminate risk--risk poorly defined as uncertainty. We must
    recognize that incrementally better versions of the current Marine
    Corps is not going to be enough for real great power competition. As
    noted in the House Armed Services Committee's Future of Defense Task
    Force Report 2020, our acquisition process is too sluggish to work
    effectively at scale with many technology companies, as they need to
    innovate and compete daily to survive in their dynamic industry. With
    the rapid transition we need to make over the next decade, we must be
    willing to incur some short-term risk to better prepare and compete in
    the future. The ability to prototype new technologies, then
    aggressively experiment and exercise with prototype equipment to
    understand its full capability on the battlefield is paramount. Lastly,
    I agree with the Report's recommendation that we need a process that
    better bridges the ``valley of death'' to transition critical prototype
    equipment into full-scale fielding without taking years through the
    traditional planning, programming, budgeting, and execution process.
                       readiness and strategic advantage
        As we build a more capable and lethal force, we must also take into
    consideration the readiness of that force. Since 2017, the Marine Corps
    has significantly increased the availability of forces to Combatant
    Commanders based on the generous funding of Congress. As Marines deploy
    forward in support of operational requirements, they buy down today's
    risk by deterring competitors from violating international norms while
    assuring allies and partners of the strength of our commitments.
    However, the mere availability of those Marines does not equal
    readiness to compete in the maritime gray zone, nor does it create
    strategic advantage to deter or defeat rapidly evolving threats. It is
    time for us to embrace a more sophisticated and balanced understanding
    of military readiness and cease using availability as the primary
    metric in our readiness evaluations. This antiquated model is hugely
    consumptive and forces us to spend limited resources ensuring the
    availability of platforms designated for retirement and replacement.
    This also applies to equipment that we are attempting to transition to
    more modern capabilities. For example, every dollar spent to make a 4th
    generation aircraft that has exceeded its intended service life is a
    dollar that cannot be spent to accelerate the fielding of 5th
    generation very low-observable aircraft and advanced UAS. We must
    invest in future capabilities that create, maintain, and expand
    warfighting advantage to ensure a ready force tomorrow that maintains
    its ability to compete and deter.
        During the most recent conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan,
    Armenian ground forces that we would have labeled ready based on
    availability, were easily targeted and destroyed by Azerbaijani forces
    employing elements of a precision strike regime to include swarms of
    loitering munitions and lethal unmanned systems. While Armenia's tanks
    and infantry fighting vehicles were available, they were not
    operationally suitable, thus not ready for the conflict. As our
    competitors continue to expand their capabilities, we will soon find
    ourselves outmatched unless we change our readiness framework. To do
    so, we should embrace a new readiness paradigm in which availability
    ranks behind generating a relative warfighting advantage. A ready
    capability in the future must be one that is both available when we
    need it and creates a strategic warfighting advantage against a
    specific threat in great power competition and conflict.
        A ready force that creates a strategic advantage over the pacing
    threat must be organized to generate faster decision cycles against the
    enemy. A large part of our Force Design 2030 efforts is aimed at
    developing the right capabilities for the future force, but just as
    important is devising the correct organizational model to employ those
    capabilities. I do not support creating more or larger headquarters
    organizations to accommodate the larger quantities of data coming in as
    I feel this will only slow the decision-making process. I'm also not
    committed to organizations that we have employed in the past if they
    don't work to fulfill our future requirements. In addition to right-
    sizing our FMF, I've also directed an ongoing assessment to reduce 15%
    of our personnel across Headquarters Marine Corps to generate savings
    that we can reinvest into our warfighting capabilities without losing
    the institutional processes necessary to support an adaptable force.
        Your Marine Corps, and the Naval Service as a whole, have a proven
    record when it comes to driving change. Both the People's Republic of
    China and Russia modernized their militaries over the past decade based
    on what they assessed as our strengths and our competitive warfighting
    advantages. They adapted their operational and strategic approaches to
    counter us and now we must modernize in order to remedy shortfalls and
    drive the next cycle of change. Simply making our legacy platforms
    better or more of them available will not force our competitors to
    change course, nor will it create the strategic advantage required. I
    concur with the Air Force Chief of Staff General CQ Brown: we must
    accelerate change or lose.
        One way we can accelerate change is by seeking a more nuanced
    understanding of readiness as it applies to each service or even common
    force elements within each service, and to ask--how many forces-in-
    readiness can we collectively afford? A critical factor of
    understanding readiness is identifying when a joint force will need a
    capability in accordance with a detailed mobilization plan. The Marine
    Corps--as well as other critical elements of the joint force--will
    always be at the front of the timelines because we are the force who is
    present before conflict and deters an adversary's early escalation.
    Serving as the foundational element of our persistent contact layer
    allows time for the joint force to mobilize and surge the war winning
    capabilities of the other services. However, without your Marines
    forward deployed to tamp back the aggressor and create decision space,
    the joint force will not have the time and opportunity to deploy.
                       fleet design and naval integration
        Thus far, my comments have focused on issues germane to my role as
    Commandant of the Marine Corps--to organize, train, and equip Marine
    Corps forces in support of the Fleets and Combatant Commanders. Please
    now allow me to share a few thoughts with you as one of the three
    senior naval officials testifying before you and also as a member of
    the Joint Chiefs of Staff. My experience and role as a senior Naval
    officer requires that I share my best military advice in the ongoing
    fleet design conversation. One thing is clear: serious naval
    professionals both in and out of service agree that the status quo
    fleet will not provide the strategic advantages required in an era of
    great power competition, and must change.
        I would like to state for the record my thanks to the CNO and his
    OPNAV staff for their continued support redesigning the fleet and the
    amphibious/naval expeditionary portion of it without reservation or
    hesitation in support of our shared understanding of the operational
    dilemmas created by peer adversaries. The CNO is leading a major change
    in future fleet design and I wish to acknowledge that for the record,
    and formally communicate my support. I agree with the CNO that the Navy
    does not need to be ``reimagined'' or ``reinvented,'' and neither does
    the Marine Corps for that matter. However, as the CNO has noted, how we
    perform our core roles and functions of deterrence, maritime security,
    power projection, and sea control must change--just as it has many
    times in the past.
        Being physically present within the area of responsibility is no
    longer evidence of success, and we should no longer think presence
    somehow produces deterrence in and of itself. For naval presence to
    deter competitors, physical positioning must create real strategic
    advantage. The specific capabilities present must provide a competitive
    warfighting advantage against specific peer threats and do so in a
    resource neutral manner. Dispersing large numbers of militarized
    fishing vessels with a nuclear aircraft carrier may result in the
    temporary absence of those adversary vessels in key maritime terrain,
    but it comes at a fiscally prohibitive cost, not to mention the
    operational cost of not having that warfighting capability postured to
    project power via its carrier air wing. However, having a robust
    inventory of submarines, frigates, light amphibious warships, and
    networked unmanned or optionally manned surface vessels--or even T-AGOS
    and military sealift vessels--operating in the same region would
    provide a competitive warfighting advantage without resource
    prohibitive operating costs. Such a fleet would further reinforce our
    strategic advantages in undersea warfare through their modern ASW
    capabilities and our advantages in naval expeditionary warfare. The
    process of redesigning the fleet will not be an easy or inexpensive,
    nor will it be accomplished quickly, but it can be done with your
    continued oversight and support. I wish to thank the Secretary, the
    CNO, and the members of this committee for their continued commitment
    to the construction and sustainment of our ships necessary to support
    amphibious operations.
        Not that long ago, the Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) that comprised
    the Navy ships for the Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) consisted of
    five ships with a combined gross tonnage of approximately 73,000
    tonnes. Today, our standard three ship ARG/MEUs operate in a
    distributed manner from platforms with a combined gross tonnage of
    approximately 86,000 tonnes. As with many other systems and
    capabilities across the joint force, our ARG/MEU has become smaller yet
    heavier, while simultaneously being asked to be more agile. Distributed
    Maritime Operations is not only the future of naval operations, but in
    reality--the present. As we modernize our Marine forces as part of our
    force design efforts, we must also modernize the ARG/MEU. We have seen
    the great value of disaggregating the ARG/MEU with each individual ship
    conducting its own mission within the same Area of Operational
    Responsibility for a Combatant Commander. Greater numbers of smaller
    ships would allow us to disaggregate for a greater number of mission
    sets while maintaining the ability to reassemble into a large force
    with expansive mission sets. Defining our future operational concept
    will also help drive us to better understand what we need from LXX--or
    the next class of amphibious ships. We know they will need to be
    smaller, faster, more lethal, and better networked, but we don't yet
    know to what degree we need these characteristics. As we continue our
    analysis with the Navy, we know that they must be affordable so that we
    can purchase and maintain the number of ships we need to operate
    globally. Therefore, our requirements will be matched to a program that
    is affordable and sustainable over the long-term.
        Finally, I wish to state my support for the observations,
    positions, and conclusions articulated by Admiral Davidson in his most
    recent testimony. The vision he articulated for a strategic defense to
    include a defense-in-depth with naval expeditionary forces postured
    forward and west of the international dateline is one I share, and have
    attempted to communicate as often as possible over the previous 22
    months. I share his conclusion that highly lethal and distributable
    expeditionary forces than can generate the effects of mass without the
    liabilities of concentration are of the highest utility, and am doing
    everything possible to create such forces via my force design efforts
    with the Marine Littoral Regiment.
                                   conclusion
        The American people expect us to be our own toughest critics, and
    we are. We have significant strides to make in the near future, but I
    know the leadership and support of this Congress will help us to
    revolutionize our approach to competition and conflict. I pledge to
    keep you informed and involved in the transformation of your Marine
    Corps. The American people are counting on their Marines, Navy, and
    joint force to maintain our ideals and way of life now and into the
    future. The dustbin of history is crammed with once successful
    militaries, businesses, and organizations that recognized the world was
    changing and attempted to meet that change through merely incremental
    improvements in existing ways of doing business. Despite their previous
    successes, these institutions failed in the new environment because
    they could not make the fundamental changes necessary to remain on top.
    We are now in the midst of just such a period of change, and we will
    need all the help and support of this Congress to ensure we continue
    our long history of successful innovation and adaptation.
        While our aspirations and expectations are great, I am certain that
    you expect nothing less from your Marine Corps. With your continued
    support, we shall succeed. We will achieve our goals of transformation,
    both in our culture and warfighting capability, to best support the
    naval campaign and the joint force.

        Senator Tester. Thank you, General Berger. And I appreciate
    all three of your statements. I think it is critically
    important that you continue to communicate with this committee
    so that you are prepared to fight the next conflict, not the
    last one. So, thank you all very much for your statements.
        General Berger, your top priority has been the
    implementation of Force Design 2030. You talked about it in
    your opening statement. It is a plan to modernize the Marine
    Corps and ensure it remains the world's most effective naval
    expeditionary force.
        When we consider what it will take to serve as a credible
    deterrent to China and, if necessary, fight and win future
    wars, it is essential that our Marine Corps can successfully
    modernize and meet the challenge.
        This subcommittee is strongly supportive of the strategic
    concepts associated with force design. We must ensure that
    force design priority programs stay on schedule and responsibly
    use taxpayer dollars.
        So, here is my question, General Berger. Your unfunded
    priorities list contains several items that would accelerate
    the Marine Corps' long-range fires program, increase troop
    mobility, improve command and control capabilities. Where does
    the unfunded priorities list provide us opportunity to
    accelerate force design implementation?
        General Berger. Part of the challenge, Chairman, and as you
    all are well aware, is that in a pacing threat environment,
    like we are at right now, both of us are moving. Add to that
    the speed at which technology is developing.
        So, the items on our unfunded priority list, as you
    mentioned, Chairman that is what we need to ensure we stay in
    front. We are very ready today, but those items will allow us
    to be ready in the future, in front of our adversary, with some
    margin of error, which I believe we must have.
        So, things like ground-based, anti-ship missiles, the G/
    ATOR Radar, the CH-53K, those--the MQ-9 Reaper, those will
    allow your forward force, your stand-in force, to deter
    effectively forward, in the future, as well.
        Senator Tester. Are you confident the programs you are
    requesting funding for in fiscal year 2022 can deliver results
    quickly?
        General Berger. Absolutely, yes.
        Senator Tester. Okay. And how are you balancing the need to
    move quickly on strategic concepts while keeping those costs
    affordable?
        General Berger. We are small enough that we could not set
    aside an experimentation force in the Marine Corps. So, for
    example, Chairman, what we did is we have three Marine
    divisions in the Marine Corps. You pick one battalion in each
    division, outfit it differently, organize differently, equip
    differently, and train differently. And for the next 18, 24
    months, we will experiment with all three. And the rationale
    behind that is that is how we are going to learn faster. That
    is how we are going to introduce the results of experimentation
    in war gaming into our force design process at speed.
        Senator Tester. Thank you.
        Admiral Gilday, recent media articles suggest that the Navy
    is expecting to face a challenge in next year's budget request
    and will have to make some difficult funding decisions on how
    to proceed with the Navy's modernization act. These funding
    decisions will only become more difficult in the future as the
    Navy continues to modernize and introduces new weapon systems
    and programs, like next-generation submarines, surface
    combatants, and aircraft.
        So, Admiral Gilday, we never are going to have enough money
    to do everything that we would like to do. That is a fact.
    Which generation systems and programs should be prioritized in
    the upcoming budget request?
        Admiral Gilday. Sir, thank you. So, big picture, what my
    intention, or our intention to do with our investment strategy,
    is to field the most capable, most lethal, most ready force
    that we can, given the topline that we have. And, so, we have
    not come off of our priority to continue to invest heavily in
    readiness and training of the force that we have today because
    that force needs to be forward to be relevant.
        With respect to modernization, key programs include
    hypersonics. We have doubled our investment in hypersonics and
    R and D. I think that is a very reasonable investment strategy
    based on the fact that we are ahead or on track with every
    milestone in that program, including a very successful multi-
    thousand-mile test last year and a successful new generation
    engine burn just a month ago, working very closely with both
    the Army and the Air Force on that particular project.
        Likewise, on the defensive side, directed energy is an
    important investment for us with respect to fleet
    survivability. I mentioned up front in my opening statement
    that the major investments by the Chinese are in space and
    missiles. We have to have a way to defeat those missiles, and I
    think an afford--the most affordable way to do that is the
    defense-in-depth type of framework that includes laser energy.
    We have those systems now at sea and are fielding.
        Senator Tester. So, I just want to flesh this out just a
    little bit more. All four defense committees are going to be
    making decisions soon on what changes we are going to make to
    the 2022 budget requests. What views do you wish to share about
    your investment priorities today so that we might avoid
    disagreements on what systems deserve more funding?
        Admiral Gilday. Yes, sir. So, if I start in the undersea,
    that is our most survivable strike platform in the United
    States Navy, and arguably in the U.S. military. Our underwater
    superiority over the Chinese, we must maintain that overmatch.
        With respect to surface, continue investment in new ships.
    We know that our cruisers are nearing 35 years old. We need to
    replace those. We are going with a smaller, more distributed
    force.
        The frigate investment is really important, as are the
    long-range weapons we are investing to put at sea, and
    hypersonics on our first--on our Zumwalt-class ships by 2025.
        If it needs to be balanced across the three domains, sir--
    under the sea, on the sea, in the air. The fourth- and fifth-
    generation mix of aircraft that we are fielding by--we are
    fielding now, this summer, with our first deployment. But, by
    2025, we will have five to six squadrons. And, by the end of
    the decade, we will have all nine squadrons that have that mix
    of fourth and fifth. We want to keep that on track, as well.
        Senator Tester. Thanks, Admiral.
        Senator Shelby.
        Senator Shelby. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        Secretary Harker, the Administration's budget proposal
    includes a request for new language to authorize multi-year
    procurement contracts for multiple ship classes, including the
    destroyer, while at the same time breaking the current multi-
    year contract for the destroyer.
        My question is this. How does the Navy, sir, plan to
    measure the impact of its proposal to breach the current
    destroyer multi-year contract on the cost of future multi-year
    procurements? In other words, how can Congress and the
    industrial base trust the Navy to fulfill its commitments to
    multi-year contracts, which I think are important?
        Secretary Harker. Thank you, sir. Yes, multi-year contracts
    are very important to us. We do intend to sign another multi-
    year for DDGs starting in 2023 through 2027 and continue that
    procurement into the foreseeable future.
        DDG-51 is a very valuable asset for us. We really struggled
    with the decision to take that out of this year's budget. It
    was the hardest decision we made, and we would love to have
    been able to include it.
        Going into this next year, we are committed to multi-years
    for both submarines and for DDGs. Over the last multi-year
    period, it was a 10-ship, multi-year over a 5-year period. With
    the assistance of the committees and the Congress, we were able
    to purchase 10 ships, so the one that is in our budget this
    year will be an eleventh ship. That gave us the ability to not
    buy the DDG this year, but it was a very difficult decision for
    us, sir.
        Senator Shelby. Sir, do you believe that it is very
    important for the industrial base to believe that the Navy is
    going to fulfill their contracts?
        Secretary Harker. Yes, sir, I do. Very much so. It is
    critical for our industrial base.
        Senator Shelby. Okay.
        Secretary Harker. And we believe that we have a strong
    working relationship with them.
        Senator Shelby. Sir, in the final year of a 5-year multi-
    year procurement contract for Arleigh Burke-class destroyers,
    this subject--despite the multi-year contract, in--the 2022
    budget request includes only one destroyer rather than the
    contracted two. This is perplexing because of the Navy's number
    one unfunded requirement is $1.7 billion for the second
    destroyer. Seems like a contradiction.
        Admiral Gilday, why did the Navy remove one destroyer from
    its 2022 budget proposal? Is it no longer needed or is that
    just playing with the budget, the numbers?
        Admiral Gilday. No, sir, it was not playing with the
    numbers. So, I go back to the thesis of our budget proposal,
    which is to field the best, most capable, most lethal fleet
    that we get--we can, that is 296 ships, and make it the best
    that we can, including a modernization plan that gives us
    increased capabilities, and then growing the Navy at an
    affordable rate.
        And, so, it was a balance across those three areas, sir.
    And as the secretary said in his opening statement, based on
    incidents like the collisions in 2017, we are unwilling--at
    least my best advice, sir, is to continue to prioritize
    training and readiness as our job priority.
        Senator Shelby. I think it is a given by this Committee on
    Appropriations, Defense to--not to shortchange the Navy, not to
    shortchange readiness, and also future weapons. And, if we do
    it, we do it at the peril of this Country; would we not?
        Admiral Gilday. Yes, sir, I believe so.
        Senator Shelby. General Berger, I will direct this to you,
    sir. In 2019, the U.S. Marine Corps' unfunded requirements list
    totaled $235.9 million. In 2020, it was $2 billion. In 2021, it
    is $769.8 million. This year's unfunded requirements list from
    the Marine Corps is as much as all 3 years' lists combined,
    totaling nearly $3 billion, according to our committee.
        General Berger, has the Marine Corps been resourced
    adequately to support your force redesign and maintain pace on
    modernization priorities and readiness? In other words, sir,
    what is the impact of such a significant unfunded requirements
    list to the Marine Corps if left unfunded?
        General Berger. If left unfunded, I think for all of our
    unfunded requirements list, it equals risk. That is probably
    the simplest way to categorize it. We are learning as we go
    with force design. We did not know 2 years ago exactly what the
    Marine Corps would need to look like a decade out. We have a
    much clearer picture now.
        So, in order to give the committees a larger menu to select
    from with a clear picture of where the Marine Corps is going,
    we added to the unfunded priorities list. But, those things
    near the top that are not funded equal risk, equal strategic
    risk.
        Senator Shelby. And I will direct this, my last question,
    to you, Admiral Gilday. The submarine industrial base,
    construction of the new Columbia-class submarine is now
    underway at shipyards that are already working on the Virginia-
    class submarine. You know all of this.
        The schedule for the Virginia boats has fallen off of the
    2-year per year delivery cadence of the Block III boats, and
    current ships under construction are as much as 2 years behind
    delivery, is our understanding.
        Admiral, what is the Navy doing to get the delivery cadence
    of the Virginia back on track as work on the Columbia begins to
    pick up? And, how is this investment in the so-called
    integrated enterprise plan paying off in terms of industrial-
    based readiness and cost reduction to our submarine program?
        Admiral Gilday. Sir, in terms of capacity, I think it is
    fair to say that our submarine industrial base has probably
    never been as busy as they are today. We have 12 boats under
    construction right now. We are going to deliver two this year.
    I think we will christen Rickover by the end of July.
        Right now, we are moving at a pretty good pace to put--to
    build two per year in terms of subcomponents. That then needs
    to go to the larger components and they need to be able to
    build at the rate of two submarines a year, as well.
        The investments that the private yards are making include
    hiring more people, the training that is associated with that.
    The advanced funding that the Congress has given us, that has
    allowed us to buy spare parts and materials to help neck down
    or reduce that delay in those submarine builds.
        We are watching the Block IV Virginia class very closely.
    Those delivery dates are not where they need to be, but they
    are moving in the right direction to the left.
        Senator Shelby. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        Senator Tester. Thank you, Senator Shelby.
        Senator Schatz.
        Senator Schatz. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you all for
    your service. Good to see you all.
        I am going to start with General Berger and talk a little
    bit about Marines in the Pacific as part of the Defense Policy
    Review Initiative.
        The plan to realign Marines began with a series of
    conversations between the U.S. and Japanese governments in
    2002. It became official in 2006. There were some changes in
    2012. And, stipulating to the fact that, as Senator Mike
    Mansfield says--said, excuse me that the bilateral relationship
    between the United States and Japan is the most important
    bilateral relationship that we have, bar none, and that we
    should keep our commitments to our greatest ally in the region.
        It still seems to me that whether it is lift, whether it is
    the difficulty in finding a replacement facility, whether it is
    the challenge of construction on Guam, whether it is beddowns
    on Oahu, that--and maybe more importantly, that the whole
    region has changed.
        I would like to be reassured that we are striking the right
    balance between maintaining our ironclad commitment to the
    Japanese government and still maintaining the flexibility to
    make sure this thing makes any sense at all.
        General Berger. I think, Senator, your characterization--I
    would see it exactly the same way. That agreement that was made
    9 years ago did not account for, to your point, where the world
    is right now. I think this is the driving force behind the
    Secretary's effort right now to do a global posture review
    because it is not set right for the future. I think he senses
    that, and he has driven us to undertake a global posture
    review.
        Within the Pacific, I think the view from Japan, to your
    point, and the view from the U.S. is the threat from PRC
    (People's Republic of China), from the PLAN, their military, is
    significantly different than it was in 2012. We have to have
    forces stationed forward and deployed forces if we are going to
    have a best chance of preventing the next conflict.
        But, the laydown of DPRI (Defense Policy Review Initiative)
    is worth revising, it is worth looking at, because it was set
    under different conditions. This is going to be led, as you
    know better than me, by diplomacy, by an effort with the State
    Department to work with Japan on what is the best way forward.
        Senator Schatz. Thank you very much.
        Secretary Harker, the Navy's reliance on fossil fuels
    contributes to a vulnerability. The President issued an
    executive order to all Federal agencies, including the DOD
    (Department of Defense), to use their procurement authority to
    move the Country towards carbon-free electricity by 2035.
        So, can you talk about the new things that the Navy is
    doing pursuant to that? And, as you probably know, I have been
    tracking this issue for a while, so I am not as interested in
    pilot projects or separate programs related to clean energy,
    but more importantly, how we are integrating the President's EO
    in all aspects of bases, installations, fuel, forward
    deployments, the smart grid, all of that.
        And, I think it is really important that we do not silo
    clean energy into some space called pilot projects and
    environmental initiatives and bases and installations and
    environment, but, rather, to understand this as core to the
    mission, and therefore core to the way we do our procurement. I
    am wondering if you can comment on that.
        Secretary Harker. Yes, Senator, definitely. I have looked
    into this since taking this job, and I have been to several of
    our bases where we have done a lot to improve our ability to
    provide a carbon-free energy footprint and to take more
    advantage of things like solar and wind generation.
        I was down at Parris Island on a trip there. They have a
    huge solar energy capability there that they have built on some
    old abandoned runways. We have other bases that have been doing
    that, and it is something that we are focused, where each
    installation has a climate installation plan focus to try to
    improve how we are doing in this area.
        Senator Schatz. And are you integrating that into your
    requirements when you do the procurements of energy more
    generally? Again, establishing like a climate person at each
    base and installation, that is great, but what matters is your
    RFIs, your RFQs, your RFPs.
        Secretary Harker. Yes, sir. I know there is projects that
    focus on this on the R and D side, and we are including it in
    future requirements.
        Senator Schatz. Okay. And final question. I want to talk to
    you about operational energy. What are we doing to make ship
    hulls more hydrodynamic and our combat aircraft more fuel-
    efficient?
        Secretary Harker. So, I am going to ask the CNO (Chief of
    Naval Operations) to help me on that.
        Admiral Gilday. So, our--right now, we are collaborating
    with industry in a new design for DDG(X), and that will include
    taking a look at the latest industry best practices with
    respect to improved hull forms. It is the same thing as we look
    at a new class of submarine we call SSN(X). The initial R and D
    that we are putting against that project, again, collaborating
    very closely with industry, is to look for a submarine that
    will travel higher speeds, and part of that is based on the
    shape of the hull.
        Senator Schatz. Thank you.
        Senator Tester. Thank you, Senator Schatz.
        Senator Collins.
        Senator Collins. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        Secretary Harker, Admiral Gilday, let me start by thanking
    you both for coming to the great State of Maine to visit Bath
    Ironworks and the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. I know that you
    saw that they are outstanding assets that are critical to the
    Navy and our industrial base.
        Nevertheless, let me be blunt in my assessment of this
    budget. It is not close to adequate to meet the challenges that
    we are facing around the globe. It does nothing to help us
    counter the increase in the Chinese fleet. In fact, it goes in
    the opposite direction, and the disparity will be even greater.
        And, third, it jeopardizes our industrial base where we
    have only two yards building large surface combatants. And the
    information I have is that, if this budget is enacted, that 500
    skilled jobs will be lost next year at one of those yards, and
    even more in subsequent years.
        So, my question to you is also blunt, and that is, was the
    DDG excluded from the budget simply because you were given an
    inadequate top line that you had to meet? Secretary Harker, we
    will start with you, and then Admiral Gilday.
        Secretary Harker. Thanks, Senator. I really appreciated the
    opportunity to tour both Bath Ironworks and the Portsmouth
    Naval Shipyard with you. The workers there were outstanding,
    and the integration between labor and management at Bath
    Ironworks and at the shipyard was just a model for all of our
    shipbuilding and ship maintenance facilities, and that is
    something that we definitely want to keep and invest in.
        We were unable to procure the DDG because of funding
    challenges. We did not have sufficient funds in the budget for
    us to be able to meet the balanced needs of providing a ready
    force today, the capability that each of the ships needed, and
    then the capacity of adding that additional destroyer. So, as
    we went through and we balanced things out to provide the best
    budget we could, we did not have room for that destroyer in the
    budget.
        Senator Collins. Admiral Gilday, do you have anything to
    add to that?
        Admiral Gilday. Yes, ma'am. It was absolutely an
    affordability issue. We fought for that hull right to the
    bitter end. And, if you take a look at where the money would
    come from to pay for that additional destroyer, we are
    decomming--or our proposal is to decommission 15 ships, old
    cruisers primarily. We would be taking money out of manpower,
    out of spare parts, out of ammunition, and we have learned
    those lessons in the past, that that is a bad place to take
    that money from.
        And, so, it really did come down to priorities. As
    difficult as it was to break the multi-year and to send mixed
    signals to industry, it really did come down to prioritizing
    the investments that we had to make right now in the fleet that
    we have today.
        Senator Collins. And our job, I would suggest to the
    Chairman and Vice Chairman, is going to be to look across the
    entire government and every department's budget as a full
    committee. Because when you see the double digit increases for
    all of the civilian agencies, and then you get to the
    Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security
    and essentially see a cut, in real terms, is just our
    priorities are out of whack here. And, I hope that we can
    remedy that.
        I just, Admiral Gilday, want to quickly touch on the
    Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Plan. That includes 250
    million for the second increment of the Portsmouth Naval
    Shipyard's multi-mission dry dock number one project, and that
    is really important, as well. Could you explain to the
    committee what will happen if we do not provide that funding in
    terms of the ability to return submarines and sailors to the
    fleet?
        Admiral Gilday. Yes, ma'am. It is my judgment that if we do
    not fund that, if we do not fund that project in 2022
    adequately, it will put at risk the ability to do our first
    availabilities on Virginia class submarines beginning in fiscal
    year 2026.
        The project up there in Kittery, at Portsmouth, is
    absolutely critical for us to have that East Coast capability.
    We are simply not going to have it. We do not have dry docks
    large enough to put those ships, to put those hulls in, to do
    the maintenance on them that is required.
        Senator Collins. Thank you.
        Admiral Gilday. Yes, ma'am.
        Senator Tester. Thank you, Senator Collins.
        Senator Murray.
        Senator Murray. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Thank
    you to all of you for being here today.
        Secretary Harker, let me just start with saying--by saying
    that I was really pleased that the Navy decided to base the
    first new Constellation-class frigates at Naval Station
    Everett. As you well know, Everett is a really important base
    for the Navy, and we have to continue investing in that base
    and the community for the long term.
        I wanted to ask you today what additional investments at
    Everett are going to be necessary to accommodate those new
    ships or additional sailors and their families?
        Secretary Harker. I do not have that information with me,
    ma'am, but I know we are committed to making sure that we do
    not send our ships out there without the additional crew
    facilities necessary for both the crew and the families and so
    on. The CNO may have additional points.
        Admiral Gilday. Yes, absolutely. So, that work is ongoing
    right now. The hulls go in the water in--the first hull will be
    delivered in 2026, ma'am. So, in addition to things like
    housing, childcare, training facilities that we will need for
    those crews, as well. So, we will look at it holistically so
    that we do not cut those crews and their families short.
        Senator Murray. Good. All right. Well, I look forward to
    working with you on that as it continues.
        General Berger, I did want to ask you. You are proposing
    the boldest rethinking of the Marine Corps role and structure
    in decades. And, as part of that, you are proposing to cut end
    strength and have smaller units operating from inside the area
    our adversaries can strike.
        How will training need to change to prepare our Marines for
    those missions?
        General Berger. Training will have to, one, take the
    individual Marine to a higher level than they are right now.
    From recruitment, in other words, through their entry-level
    training, to their first unit, we have to raise the bar because
    we are going to expect non-commissioned officers and junior
    officers to make decisions than two levels up than they make
    today.
        When we are more distributed, when we are more spread out,
    then junior leaders are going to make the calls, especially if
    you are in a high-threat environment where they are kind of
    challenging your communications. They are going to make their
    decisions independent of probably great communications with
    their higher headquarters. So, our training for them has to get
    higher.
        We are lengthening, for example, infantry training right
    now by 50 percent this year. It has to be longer. It has to get
    them to another level. The same individual that now maybe three
    people have three different skill sets, we have to make sure
    one person has three skills sets, if you follow me.
        Senator Murray. Yes.
        General Berger. So that one person is not a corpsman and
    one person is not a machine gunner and the next person is a
    sniper. We have to have people with multiple skills. So, I
    think we will raise the bar in training to make sure that we
    can empower and train them to a level where they can make the
    decisions on the spot.
        Senator Murray. How do you expect this to increase the
    operational tempo? And how are you going to support Marines'
    families during more frequent or longer deployments that you
    envision?
        General Berger. Separate issue on the frequency of
    deployments, and that is really driven by what the Nation needs
    year to year to year.
        But, the difference in force design, ma'am, is from the
    beginning. Our premise was, we are going to build a force that
    is manned at 100 percent in the Fleet Marine Force. That is not
    the case right now. We take risks. In other words, we man them
    at less than a hundred. But, we are buying--we are building the
    Marine Corps manned at 100 percent. When you do that, then you
    can accept an increase of surge for periods of time.
        But, your point on the stress on the families, absolutely
    so. When we deploy forces like we have right now onboard naval
    ships and it is a planned 6- or 7-month deployment, you know,
    that is tough. When it is extended, it is to a whole other
    level because then you are into unpredictable land for them.
    All of which is manageable, but we need to run the machine at a
    pace we can sustain, which I think you are highlighting, ma'am.
        Senator Murray. Okay. Thank you.
        And, finally, a vote has been called, so let me just say
    this, Secretary Harker. The Department of the Navy has been
    pursuing a number of actions that are--I am concerned are very
    harmful to workers in my home State of Washington and which
    jeopardize the stability of the industrial base, and those
    include proposals to divest UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) and
    virtually brand new patrol boats, changing shipbuilding
    specifications to circumvent Buy American requirements in
    appropriations law, and a lack of clarity on the disposition of
    a dry dock.
        I have not gotten satisfactory answers on that. There is
    not time right now. But, I want to know if there--what
    reasonable alternatives are considered, and I would like to
    follow up with you and my staff on that.
        Secretary Harker. Yes, ma'am, definitely. I will follow up
    with you on that. I know I have been out to the dry dock there
    over in Bremerton. And I have talked with the shipyard
    commander there, and I am fully committed to the shipyard
    infrastructure optimization effort to renew or replace that dry
    dock and part of our effort to modernize that. And then the
    other areas, we will definitely get back with you, ma'am.
        Senator Murray. Okay. I appreciate that. Thank you.
        Senator Tester. Thanks, Senator Murray.
        Senator Baldwin.
        Senator Baldwin. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We are very
    excited to be building the new frigate in the State of
    Wisconsin. However, even though this ship is based on proven
    hull design, new ship classes often experience challenges
    related to technical concurrency, cost overruns, or schedule
    slips.
        As you know, it is important that our acquisition programs
    account for these challenges, which means requiring things like
    technology maturation, systems integration, and full-ship tech
    data.
        I believe these milestones should be achieved prior to
    bringing on any additional shipyards should the Navy want to
    increase their buy down the road. Similarly, to avoid affecting
    the production ramp up, we must avoid any gap- year funding for
    the frigate.
        So, can you--this is to Secretary Harker and Admiral
    Gilday. Can you commit to requiring these technical milestones
    are met prior to bringing on a second shipyard? And, can you
    also commit to avoiding gap years in the procurement profile?
        Secretary Harker. Yes, ma'am. So, first, I have been out to
    Marinette and have been working with that shipyard for probably
    20 years, since I was back in the Coast Guard as the business
    manager for the buoy tender acquisition project. So, I have got
    a lot of great experience, a lot of respect for the people that
    work at that shipyard.
        As we go forward, it is definitely something that we want
    to do is make sure that we do not make mistakes by delivering
    ships that are not fully mature and proceeding down that road.
    So, I think there is definitely a need to make sure we get the
    technology mature, and that is something that I believe the CNO
    has some thoughts on, as well.
        Admiral Gilday. Yes, ma'am. So, we are--with respect to
    risk in building that ship, I was just on a FREMM class over in
    Europe three weeks ago. Really impressive. Really impressive
    hull. So, we have done this before to minimize risk, where we
    have taken an existing hull and put a known combat system, a
    weapon system, on it. We did this back in the '80s and it
    worked out really well between the Ticonderoga-class cruisers
    and the Arleigh Burke DDGs.
        It is the same type of approach that we have up in
    Marinette. I went to Marinette myself. That was a--you know, it
    was a great trip, number one, to get to talk to the ship
    workers. But, I will say that that risk is something that we
    are carefully trying to manage. We are not introducing new
    systems, trying to create success or miracles that have to all
    line up before the ship delivers in 2026.
        So, I am highly confident that both the Navy and the
    shipyard are working very closely together to make sure we are
    not introducing any additional risk into that build.
        With respect to moving to a second yard, I am taking a very
    conservative approach myself with respect to anything that we
    would do in that regard. I understand the benefits of the
    industrial base, but we have to get that right and we have to
    leverage what we have learned from other builds, like the LCS,
    to make sure that we get that right.
        The last thing I would say is that predictability with
    respect to budgets, especially shipbuilding, are really
    important for industry, and I recognize that. One of the things
    that struck me at Marinette was the amount of infrastructure
    that they are building to support the Constellation-class
    frigate. So, if we change those numbers, that--those
    investments are going to be a waste. I recognize that, ma'am.
    And again, I take the formulation of the budget very seriously
    in terms of how we prioritize and the message that we send to
    industry.
        Senator Baldwin. Thank you. I appreciate that focus on the
    industrial base.
        And I think we have observed that the shipbuilding
    industrial base has become more fragile over the last 25 years.
    Congress has invested significant additional funding to support
    submarine- and ship-specific workforce and supplier expansion
    programs, which has really paid off for programs like Columbia,
    Virginia, and DDG-51. The same rationale for those industrial-
    based programs holds true for the frigate.
        So, do you believe that these types of congressional
    investments have benefitted the Navy fleet, our industrial
    base, and our national security? And, if so, do you agree that
    similar investments into the frigate industrial base and
    workforce will have the same positive results? And, again, to
    you, Secretary Harker and Admiral Gilday.
        Secretary Harker. So, yes, definitely. Investing in our
    industrial base is something that is critical for us. We used
    funds from the Defense Production Act Authority to invest $50
    million. And, also, we have invested money in other places, and
    we have worked with the shipyards and other sources of funding
    to continue to invest in the industrial base. We believe in a
    strong industrial base, and that is critical to our needs.
        Admiral Gilday. Ma'am, as I answer this question, I am
    going to speak more generally and not to Marinette in
    particular. I do think that those investments are important.
    However, I also think it is important to set expectations.
        So, you mentioned, let's say, the Columbia class, which we
    will be building out to 2035, or Virginia class, which we are
    going to be building out to the late 2020s. So, when you have--
    when industry has that kind of set of headlights, as does
    Congress with respect to a commitment to building that many
    ships in a class for that long a period, I think it then
    becomes easier to justify those investments in private yard
    infrastructure.
        And, so, I think that they should be tied together so we
    should not kid ourselves in terms of putting money down that we
    are not going to reap the benefits of.
        Senator Baldwin. Thank you.
        Senator Tester. Thank you, Senator Baldwin.
        Senator Moran.
        Senator Moran. Mr. Chairman, thank you.
        General Berger, as you look to shift the Marine Corps'
    focus from counterinsurgency efforts to its original mission of
    naval expeditionary force, logistics will play a major role in
    the force structure. Your current CH-53E fleet continues to
    struggle with readiness issues, so I want to be certain the
    Marine Corps is prepared for a near-pier fight. Can you
    describe the new CH-53K heavy lift helicopter's contribution to
    your force structure redesign, particularly as it pertains to
    distributed maritime logistics in a contested environment?
        General Berger. I can, Senator. It is a phenomenal
    aircraft. I flew on that aircraft maybe 3 months ago, this past
    spring, down in North Carolina. Because growing up in 53Ds and
    53Es, you kind of knew what that platform was like. I had not
    been on a 53K, other than in a simulator. Simulator does not do
    it justice. It is an incredible aircraft. Speed, lift
    capability, reliability, its fly-by-wire. He hovered and picked
    up a weight, hands off. I mean, it is that kind of technology.
    It is a glass cockpit. Now we just have to right-size it for
    what we need.
        But, distributing the force the way the CNO and I have in
    mind, we are going to need the 53K. We are going to need the
    Light Amphibious Warship in order to move the troops and
    supplies and lethal aspects around. Critical.
        Senator Moran. How is this helicopter currently performing
    in preparation for the initial operation test and evaluation in
    July?
        General Berger. Probably like most programs, in the areas
    we look closest at, its performance, it is meeting the
    requirements. There are some areas where flight crews have
    suggestions on how to improve it, as you would expect. But, so
    far, on track, sir.
        Senator Moran. Great. Thank you for your answer.
        General Berger. Yes, sir.
        Senator Moran. Thank you for your service, all of you.
        Senator Tester. Thank you, Senator Moran.
        We appreciate all of your testimony here today and the
    answers to the questions.

                         ADDITIONAL COMMITTEE QUESTIONS

        Senators may submit additional written questions, and we
    ask you to respond to them within a reasonable amount of time.
        [The following questions were not asked at the hearing, but
    were submitted to the Department for response subsequent to the
    hearing:]
                  Questions Submitted to Hon. Thomas W. Harker
                Questions Submitted by Senator Richard J. Durbin
        Question. Russia has built numerous Arctic bases and seems poised
    to bring very provocative nuclear weapons capable armaments--notably
    the Poseidon 2M39 torpedo-into the region that threaten us and our
    allies. Secretary of State Blinken recently raised the importance of
    keeping the Arctic a peaceful zone with his Russian counterpart and the
    Department of Defense says it reserves the right to conduct freedom of
    navigation exercises in the Arctic. But I remain concerned about
    Russia's aggressive moves in the region, particularly as the ice melts
    from climate change.
        Please comment on the growing Russia presence and challenge in the
    Arctic.
        Answer. The Arctic is a top priority for Russia as outlined in
    multiple Russian strategy documents. Russia is investing heavily to
    enhance its Arctic defense and economic sectors towards its northern
    flank. About 20 percent of Russia's land mass is north of the Arctic
    Circle. Russia aims to improve command and control, infrastructure, and
    joint force employment to project power and defend its northern
    approaches through modernized military capabilities and posture. The
    escalatory and non-transparent nature of Russia's military activity and
    unlawful regulation of maritime traffic along the Northern Sea Route
    undermines global interests, promotes instability, and ultimately
    degrades security in the region. Our strong relationships with Arctic
    allies and partners, further strengthened through exercises and U.S.
    presence in the High North and Arctic region, are our greatest
    strategic advantage strengthening our collective deterrent against
    these strategic challenges.
        The Department of the Navy will work closely with interagency,
    international, and joint partners-especially the U.S. Coast Guard-while
    building new partnerships to protect the homeland, keep Arctic seas
    free and open, and deter coercive behavior and conventional aggression.
    Regional cooperation, built on a bedrock of internationally recognized
    principles like national sovereignty, is in the United States' interest
    and contributes to a secure and stable Arctic.
                                     ______

                  Questions Submitted by Senator Richard Leahy
        Question. Given the administration's priority of taking care of our
    people, and the important role that unit cohesion plays in improving
    readiness, it is crucial that the Navy take a fresh look at policies
    and practices that may not support all servicemembers. To that end,
    please outline what changes, if any, the Navy has made, is making, and
    plans to make, or is considering in order to:
        Improve diversity in leadership positions;
        Answer. Improving diversity in leadership positions compels the
    Department of the Navy (DON) to focus on diversity at all levels.
    Admiral Gilday meets routinely with his 17 Navy Community Leaders to
    discuss various community challenges to include the diversity
    demographics of each community, initiatives to support the recruiting
    and retention of under-represented groups, the prevalence of
    destructive behaviors, and efforts to develop and retain future
    leaders.
        Additionally, the Navy Junior Officer Counsel (NJOC) provides a
    formal link between Junior Officers and Senior Navy Leadership to
    provide feedback, ensuring we are doing everything we can to make our
    Junior Officers feel connected and included. The DON Diversity, Equity,
    and Inclusion (DE&I) lead will leverage feedback mechanisms and
    advisory groups similar to the NJOC to help advance DE&I initiatives.
        The Marine Corps is focusing on areas where potential bias and
    discrimination could occur before a qualified officer reaches the
    selection or assignment board process. The assignment process and the
    performance evaluation system are areas where evaluation and selection
    are based on subjective analysis and where intentional or unintentional
    bias could occur. The Fitness Report Bias Study is an analysis that
    examines objectivity of the current performance appraisal process. The
    Basic School Military Occupational Specialty Assignment Study examines
    historical performance data, based on demographics, to evaluate the
    impact of performance on MOS assignment. The Marine Corps is also
    funding an independent study to identify and understand any barriers to
    advancement and retention of women and minorities in the Marine Corps.
        Question. Improve diversity retention at all levels;
        Answer. The Navy and Marine Corps are in line with the Office of
    the Secretary of Defense and the other Services in accomplishing the
    recommendations set out in the Secretary's Diversity and Inclusion
    Board Final Report.
        Specifically, the Navy is currently implementing 56 recommendations
    from the Task Force One Navy (TFlN) final report. TFlN identified and
    made recommendations to dismantle barriers to equality while creating
    sustainable opportunities, ultimately achieving our desired end-state
    of warfighting excellence. In accordance with Secretary of Defense
    guidance, the Navy removed photographs during all Officer Selection and
    Command/Milestone Boards. Additionally, the Navy requires diverse
    representation on all boards and provides bias training to board
    members to be aware of their potential conscious and unconscious bias
    and ensure board fairness.
        The Marine Corps DEI Strategic Plan will focus on recruiting and
    accessions, talent management, education, training, and commandership
    over the next 5 years. Independent studies are currently underway to
    better understand diversity and inclusion challenges and make
    improvements. The Marine Corps Outreach Program budget has increased
    from $150,000 in fiscal year 2014 to $1M in fiscal year 2021. The
    program provides opportunities for professional development, mentoring,
    and networking experiences by fully funding approximately 500 Marines
    to attend 19 national/regional conferences hosted by non-Federal entity
    affinity groups events throughout the year.
        The various TFlN recommendations and initiatives found in the USMC
    DEI Strategic plan will be integrated into the DON DEI Implementation
    strategy to ensure ongoing efforts are sustained, measurable, possible
    to achieve, and specific enough to assess progress.
        Question. Improve trainings, including sexual assault prevention,
    with input from women, LGBTQ servicemembers, BIPOC servicemembers, and
    sexual assault survivors;
        Answer. The DON is committed to a culture of trust, respect, and
    inclusion that strengthens and promotes the resiliency and readiness of
    our force, our families, and our DON civilian workforce. Our DON DEI
    Team is working closely with the Services and stakeholders to update
    training and DEI competencies to incorporate the Navy's Culture of
    Excellence, USMC training frameworks and associated Signature Behaviors
    with input from DON and Service sexual assault prevention and response
    (SAPR) experts. The training uses adult learning theory best practices
    concerning small group-facilitated discussions. Once the training is in
    the pilot phase, we intend to solicit input from different populations
    of Sailors that may include specific groups such as women; LGBTQ+;
    black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC); and sexual assault
    survivors.
        The Marine Corps actively uses collaboration to address SAPR. They
    have collaborated with sexual assault survivors, members of the LGBTQ+
    community, SAPR personnel, women, and BIPOC Service Members to improve
    SAPR training. The SAPR program works together with the other Services,
    DON and Department of Defense (DoD) SAPR Offices, and outside entities
    to enhance the ability to prevent and respond to sexual assault,
    identify best practices, and leverage resources. Training is tailored
    to specific levels of leadership. The Commander's Course better
    prepares senior leadership to prevent sexual assault once they assume
    command. Likewise, the First Sergeant's Course includes actionable
    recommendations for sexual assault prevention, information on responses
    to trauma, and actions to take if a Marine is sexually assaulted.
        In fiscal year 2021, the DON Sexual Assault, Sexual Harassment, and
    Suicide Prevention & Response Office led a robust revision of civilian
    training for DON, Marine Corps, and Navy personnel. Key revisions
    include a focus on early negative behaviors that increase risk for
    sexual assault (i.e., gender harassment, sexual harassment), skill-
    building to recognize negative behaviors and intervene, and the
    promotion of relevant response resources and programs (i.e., SAPR,
    Equal Opportunity, Employee Assistance Programs, etc.).
        Revisions also include additional terminal learning objectives that
    focus on prevention, response, and supervisory skills related to the
    protection of populations at increased risk for harm. To protect
    civilians and Service member survivors or those who identify as LGBTQ+
    and/or BIPOC, these objectives reinforce key concepts and skills.
        Additional efforts to ensure culturally responsive trainings
    include Navy and Marine Corps Recruit Training updates that emphasize
    the knowledge and skills needed for healthy professional and personal
    relationships (i.e., trust, respect, inclusion, teamwork) and
    professional development webinars on the intersections between gender,
    race, sexual orientation, and sexual violence.
        Question. Increase availability and accessibility of mental health
    support services for servicemembers and their families, including
    services tailored specifically toward minority servicemembers;
        Answer. The Navy remains committed to promoting, maintaining and
    advancing a healthcare environment that adheres to the principles of
    community and equity by fostering principles that support: Care with
    Request; Excellence with Equity; Mindful Actions with Transparency,
    Responsibility, and Accountability; and Diversity with Inclusion.
        Specific to mental health support services, the Navy and Marine
    Corps ascribes to a ``no wrong door'' policy to assist Marines,
    Sailors, and family members in getting help and support. This policy
    helps to facilitate access and decrease stigma in seeking mental health
    and substance misuse services. Services are available worldwide,
    including in specialty clinics, within primary care, at Navy and Marine
    Corps installation counseling centers, on the waterfront, and embedded
    within the fleet. Sailors and their families can also get mental health
    support, to include chaplains, Military and Family Life Counseling,
    Fleet and Family Support Centers, Marine Corps Community Services, and
    Military OneSource.
        Within Navy Medicine, efforts are underway develop more formal
    structures for addressing and integrating health equity/disparities
    within the context of the Navy's Diversity and Inclusion framework.
    This work includes collaboration with the Defense Health Agency and the
    other Services to advance access, equity, and opportunity among the
    healthcare staff, as well as to develop programs to ensure equitable
    care and treatment for all Service Members and families.
        The Marine Corps' focus is to treat all Service Members and their
    families with equality while recognizing and embracing diversity.
    Accessibility of nonmedical support services expanded in May 2020 to
    telephonic and virtual platforms.
        Two significant support programs are the Unit Marine Awareness and
    Prevention Integrated Training for Marines (UMAPIT) and our Operational
    Stress Control and Readiness (OSCAR) programs. UMAPIT is a training and
    education calendar year requirement for all Marines and provides
    specific information and actions Marines can employ to access mental
    health resources. OSCAR is a Marine-trained team of Marines within
    Marine Corps units who help recognize and respond to stress. If a
    Marine believes their stress-level is negatively affecting their unit,
    an OSCAR member is there to talk and to connect the Marine with other
    resources.
        Question. Improve outreach to and support for minority
    servicemembers facing discrimination from within their units;
        Answer. DON policy is that each member of the team is entitled to
    be treated fairly, with dignity and respect, and must be allowed to
    work in an environment free of unlawful discrimination. The DON is
    committed to maintaining an inclusive work environment free from
    unlawful discriminatory practices and inappropriate behavior.
        The Navy ensures all personnel are aware of the command and shore-
    based assistance available to those who need help in processing
    harassment or unlawful discrimination reports. In addition, the Navy
    identifies available counseling support or referral services for all
    personnel involved in incidents of harassment or unlawful
    discrimination. Follow-up debriefs are conducted with complainants no
    later than 45 days following the determination or resolution of
    harassment or unlawful discrimination report to determine the
    complainant's satisfaction with the effectiveness of the corrective
    action, timeliness, present command climate, and to ensure retaliation
    did not occur.
        The Marine Corps takes a comprehensive approach to support minority
    Service Members facing discrimination within units. Combatting such
    behavior is a team effort that requires the commander to set the
    correct climate denouncing Prohibited Activities and Conduct (PAC)
    violations, Equal Opportunity Advisors/Equal Opportunity
    Representatives (EOAs/EORS) to educate and support the command and its
    unit members, and each unit member to be held accountable for their
    actions. The Marine Corps' support for minority Service Members facing
    discrimination within their units is rooted in the DoD's Strategic
    Elements of prevention, reporting, advocacy, education/training, and
    accountability; with MCO 5354.IF, ``Prohibited Activities and Conduct
    Prevention and Response Policy.'' Marines complete PAC training every
    year, and commands can use their EOAs/EORs to conduct additional PAC
    training or focus groups, at any time, in order to combat PAC
    behavioral trends. The PAC order stipulates commanders must ensure
    Service Members have access to support services such as mental health
    counseling, medical, EOA, Victim and Witness Assistance Personnel, and
    Victim Legal Counsel.
        Question. Improve medical care for transgender servicemembers,
    women, and Black parents, particularly for transition care, pregnancy,
    and post-partum care;
        Answer. Navy Medicine is committed to ensuring all Sailors and
    Marines are treated with dignity and respect and have access to the
    highest quality healthcare in accordance with current evidence-based
    practice guidelines. We currently have two Navy Medicine
    interdisciplinary expert Regional Transgender Care Teams in place to
    support and improve the health and lives of transgender and gender non-
    binary Sailors and Marines. Our experts work closely with our Defense
    Health Agency, Army, and Air Force colleagues to ensure the
    incorporation of best clinical practices to support the medical
    readiness of our transgender and gender non-binary Sailors and Marines.
        Navy Medicine continues to recognize and emphasize the importance
    of innovative pregnancy and postpartum care, resources, and educational
    materials for our Sailors and Marines to facilitate their return to
    duty. To recover in a healthy manner prior to being required to meet
    fitness and body composition standard, our updated Physical Readiness
    Program policies provide postpartum Sailors and Marines more time
    (i.e., 12 months vice nine months). We are also prioritizing the
    importance of ensuring our pregnant and postpartum Sailors and Marines
    have access to the support they need from a headquarters and a front
    line approach. Navy Medicine has developed a Postpartum Return to Duty
    Resource to provide Sailors and Marines with critical education on
    physical fitness, mental health, support services, and Navy and Marine
    Corps policies related to the postpartum transition to full duty.
    Within the military health system, our Navy Medicine women's health
    experts participate with the Defense Health Agency and the other
    Services. The focus is on women's health, perinatal practices,
    newborns, and infants, as well as a review of data and issues related
    to maternal and infant health care disparities, health equity, and
    social determinants of health, potentially impacted by race/ethnicity.
                                     ______

                Questions Submitted by Senator Dianne Feinstein
        Question. Secretary Harker, the 2017 Navy force structure
    assessment identified the need for three additional Expeditionary Sea
    Base ships. Congress included $73 million in advance procurement
    funding for the eighth ship in fiscal year 2021. However, that eighth
    ESB ship was not in your latest long-range plan, and no additional
    funding is in your budget request. I am concerned that not building the
    eighth ESB will break critical supply chains for the main shipbuilder
    on the West Coast.
        What operational risks are you accepting by not requesting ESB 8?
        Answer. The current laydown plan will assign ESBs to the EUCOM/
    AFRICOM, CENTCOM, SOUTHCOM, and PACOM Areas of Responsibility. We
    assess minimal operational risk as five ESBs can provide presence in
    each of these theaters and can be re-allocated across theaters if
    necessary.
                                     ______

                Questions Submitted by Senator Susan M. Collins
        Question. I authored an amendment included as Section 121 in last
    year's NDAA, which required certifications and reports from the Navy if
    it intended to deviate below the Large Surface Combatants called for in
    the Navy's 2016 Force Structure Assessment. The fiscal year 2022
    shipbuilding plan submitted to Congress proposes a significantly lower
    range of large surface combatants--between 63 and 65 ships. However, in
    the Navy's report required by the NDAA, which the Committee received
    just 2 months ago, the Navy identified 78 large surface combatants as
    the best performing mix based on a 2019 analysis of alternatives. The
    Navy certified that a reduction of large surface combatants down from
    104 could be mitigated due to having a reduced number of the Flight
    Ill's with the advanced AN/SPY-6 radar. The Navy also stated in its
    report that it did not expect any detrimental impacts to the industrial
    base based on current workload. But as we can see with the cut to the
    DDG-51 in this proposed budget, that workload seems anything but
    certain.
        It seems that the Navy's report required by the NDAA was based on
    some incorrect or outdated assumptions regarding the number of large
    surface combatants the Navy planned to procure as well as the impact of
    this limited procurement on the industrial base. Will the Navy revisit
    this report?
        Answer. To compete and win in an era of peer military competition,
    the United States needs a balanced naval force capable of striking
    targets in all domains. The force design must emphasize distributed
    awareness, lethality, and survivability in high-intensity conflict. The
    force must be adaptable, demonstrate presence, achieve sea control, and
    be capable of projecting power by delivering precision effects at long
    ranges. The Navy, working closely with the Office of the Secretary of
    Defense Director of Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation, continues
    to develop comparative assessments of naval force structure options
    consistent with Interim National Security Strategic Guidance and
    designed to maximize the maritime contribution to the joint force. The
    results of these efforts and ongoing experimentation and prototyping
    will be reflected in the fiscal year 2023 shipbuilding plan.
        The Department is conducting analysis to refine understanding of
    the readiness and performance of the fleet against a future near-peer
    competitor capable of global operations. Furthermore, the Navy
    continues to evaluate the industrial base pivot points required to
    support future platform development and the industrial base development
    needed for these future planned platforms, such as the next generation
    attack submarine and the future large surface combatant, including
    land-based testing to enable success in these future programs. A
    complete 30-year shipbuilding plan will be submitted with the
    President's Budget for fiscal year 2023. The Navy does not plan to
    submit a separate Report to Congress on Large Surface Combatants and
    AN/SPY-6 in fiscal year 2023.
                                     ______

                 Questions Submitted by Senator Lisa Murkowski
    intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance osr in the arctic region
        Question. Fonner Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Zukunft, a fellow
    maritime service chief relayed an alarming anecdote last fall saying,
    ``We have significant domain awareness challenges, and that really
    begins in the high latitudes,'' Things start to get pretty dark once
    you get up higher than 72 degrees north.'' He went on to discuss the
    Coast Guard stumbling upon a joint Chinese and Russian exercise in the
    region without any prior knowledge from our intelligence assets.
        And, just last August, a Russian military exercise in our own
    Exclusive Economic Zone, just off the coast of Alaska, spooked a fleet
    of our own fishennan out of our own waters--waters that they have every
    right to be in and cost them millions of dollars in lost catch and
    equipment.
        Secretary Harker, does this budget include capabilities for our
    naval services that will increase our domain awareness in the Arctic?
        Does this budget provide you the ability to operate in the High
    North whenever called upon and with the proper resources to be
    effective?
        Answer. While the budget does not include investments on ISR
    specifically focused on the Arctic, it does continue the pattern of
    equipping our Navy's globally deployable ships, submarines, and
    aircraft with the ISR capabilities needed to contribute to domain
    awareness whenever and wherever we operate. It also positions our Naval
    Forces, through its acquisition programs and Naval Intelligence arm, to
    maintain strong relationships with the IC. That long-standing
    relationship sets conditions for us to not only influence the
    development of IC capabilities but to secure the advantages that come
    from being able to access those capabilities to advance our worldwide
    military mission in this era of renewed strategic competition at sea.
                                arctic strategy
        Question. As an Alaskan, I am well aware and proud of our nation's
    history in the Arctic, but, frankly, I'm focused on the now. With that
    in mind, your strategy, ``Blue Arctic'' specifically states ``The
    [Navy] will be postured to deter aggressive and malign behavior, keep
    the seas free and open, and assure allies and partners of our long-term
    commitment to preserving peace and advancing shared interests.'' It
    also emphasizes the need for ``credible naval forces [to] ensure the
    ability to deter competitors and rapidly respond to crises in the
    region.
        Secretary Harker are we postured right now, at this very moment, to
    deter aggressive and malign behavior in the Arctic? Having the Russians
    chase off an American fishing fleet or stumbling upon a joint Chinese/
    Russia exercise doesn't sound like we're quite there yet.
        Can you discuss how in your proposed budget you are acquiring the
    means to do so in the future?
        Answer. The Arctic is a top priority for Russia as outlined in
    multiple Russian strategy documents. Russia is investing heavily to
    enhance its Arctic defense and economic sectors towards its northern
    flank. About 20 percent of Russia's and mass is north of the Arctic
    Circle. Russia aims to improve command and control, infrastructure, and
    joint force employment to project power and defend its northern
    approaches through modernized military capabilities and posture. The
    escalatory and non-transparent nature of Russia's military activity and
    unlawful regulation of maritime traffic along the Northern Sea Route
    undermines global interests, promotes instability, and ultimately
    degrades security in the region. Our strong relationships with Arctic
    allies and partners, further strengthened through exercises and U.S.
    presence in the High North and Arctic region, are our greatest
    strategic advantage strengthening our collective deterrent against
    these strategic challenges.
        The Department of the Navy will work closely with interagency,
    international, and joint partners-especially the U.S. Coast Guard--
    while building new partnerships to protect the homeland, keep Arctic
    seas free and open, and deter coercive behavior and conventional
    aggression. Regional cooperation, built on a bedrock of internationally
    recognized principles like national sovereignty, is in the United
    States' interest and contributes to a secure and stable Arctic.
                                  icebreakers
        Question. I have a growing concern with the lack of icebreakers and
    even ice-hardened surface ships in our fleet to carry out the strategic
    deterrence that you have identified as necessary in the Navy's strategy
    and the use of icebreakers for other purposes. I have long advocated
    for the procurement of icebreakers and I'm glad we're making some
    progress in building some for the Coast Guard, but those are still a
    long ways away from being sea ready. As it pertains to icebreakers, my
    number one priority is building them here. My second priority is
    getting this capability in our hands as soon as possible.
        The previous administrations was in discussions about leasing
    icebreakers through the Navy. To be clear, I am not advocating for
    leasing instead of building our own, but being cognizant of the fact
    that we need this capability now, are you doing anything to acquire ice
    breaking capabilities to bridge the gap between now and when we field
    new ones ourselves? As your strategy, ``Blue Arctic'' mentions six
    times, how the Navy will address issues in the ``decades ahead,'' but
    current events illustrate they are needed now. If not icebreakers, are
    other mechanisms being put in place to overcome this shortfall?
        Answer. Icebreaking remains a core U.S. Coast Guard mission. The
    Navy continues to provide acquisition assistance to the Coast Guard to
    ensure the Polar Security Cutter meets the demands of the Nation.
        Question. Mr. Secretary, your Arctic strategy also states, ``Naval
    forces will work in concert with interagency efforts and ensure our
    planning efforts are integrated with local, state, Federal, and
    indigenous communities. Native Alaskan tribes have a long and honorable
    history of military service that blend seamlessly with such efforts.''
    Can you discuss these efforts to date, or are they forthcoming? Do you
    have a timeline or plan for when this coordination will begin? Who in
    your department has been given the lead for these efforts?
        Answer. While the Arctic largely remains a region of cooperation,
    continuing changes in the physical environment, increased military
    activity, and efforts by non-Arctic nations to restructure Arctic
    governance require continual assessment of the region. The Department
    of the Navy's (DON) priorities in the Arctic Blueprint include working
    closely with our partners and allies as well as with interagency
    partners. As we look to strengthen interagency efforts, the DON is
    developing its implementation approach to ensure alignment with the
    2022 National Defense Strategy and the Secretary of the Navy's
    strategic vision. In addition to preserving economic prosperity and
    keeping the seas open and free, the DON remains fully committed to
    safeguarding the homeland and protecting our national security. While
    the DON requires more time to consider specific details of
    implementation and coordination, the Arctic region remains of
    significant importance to the DON mission. The Implementation Plan will
    be tailored to meet the demands of the Arctic region, to include the
    integration of planning efforts with local, state, and Federal
    entities, and with indigenous communities. Additionally, we will have
    an opportunity to better align the DON's objectives with the impending
    release of the National Security Council's National Arctic Strategy.
                    united nations convention law of the sea
        Question. At a recent budget-hearing for the State Department,
    Secretary Blinken told me that, by his own determination, and I quote:
    ``the United States would be extremely well served by ratifying the Law
    of the Sea Treaty.'' He even went as far as to say that this is not
    only his opinion, but ``it's been the judgement across the board by our
    military leadership, uniform and civilian for many years.'' Secretary
    Blinken is the latest in a long line of department secretaries to agree
    on this point. I believe that ratifying the Law of the Sea is in the
    best interest of the United States. Along with Senator Hirono, I put
    forward legislation urging the Senate to ratify Law of Sea.
        Mr. Secretary, do you believe the Senate should ratify the Law of
    Sea?
        Answer. The Convention reflects customary international law on
    which the United States has long relied for its freedoms of navigation
    and overflight around the world. Acceding to the Convention would
    reinforce these rights and freedoms and could place the United States
    in a stronger position when challenging violations of international law
    by our adversaries.
        Question. What benefit will it provide to the United States? Would
    we be in a stronger military position if we were to ratify the Law of
    the Sea?
        Answer. The Convention sets forth navigational rights and freedoms
    across the globe for civilian and military ships and aircraft that are
    vital to our national security, including innocent passage through
    territorial seas and transit passage through, under, and over
    international straits. The United States must currently rely on
    customary international law as the legal authority for these and other
    provisions, which does not adequately protect U.S. maritime security
    interests over the long term. Becoming a party to the Convention would
    solidify these and other rights and freedoms in a manner beneficial to
    naval operation, facilitate closer cooperation with our allies and
    partners, and silence the claims of some nations that say only member
    states may enjoy the freedoms the Convention provides. In other words,
    joining the Convention is the best means of placing our rights and
    freedoms on a secure footing and maximizing the ability of our armed
    forces to move through and over the world's ocean waters.
        In addition, the Navy's maritime strategy and daily operations are
    heavily based on the navigational rights enumerated in the Convention.
    Both current and future operations contemplate operating with allies
    and partners--all of whom are parties to the Convention. Acceding to
    the Convention enables U.S. leadership and influence in the shaping of
    global maritime law and policy in ways that facilitate U.S. interests,
    lends legitimacy to U.S. maritime activities, and demonstrates U.S.
    commitment to the rule of law in the conduct of its operations.
        Question. And what would you say to those that want to be tough on
    China and Russia, but are still against the ratification of the treaty?
        Answer. The law of the sea is continuously being interpreted,
    applied, and developed. Accession to the Convention would give the
    United States a seat at the table to set the course for future law of
    the sea discussions on a co-equal level with China and Russia, who are
    member states. China portrays an increasingly aggressive posture in the
    South China Sea, attacking the international rules-based order embodied
    by the Convention through gray zone activities that seek to erode its
    provisions. As a party, U.S. objections to these violations would have
    significantly more force and credibility.
                                     ______

                    Questions Submitted by Senator Roy Blunt
         no fiscal year 2022 funding for f/a-18 super hornet production
        Question. Secretary Harker, I acknowledge that in this tough budget
    cycle, difficult choices must be made. I appreciate your efforts toward
    finding efficiencies, for reducing our reliance on legacy systems and
    for placing an emphasis both on our people first and on critical
    efforts to modernize for the future fight. However, I think we need to
    be mindful of building a sound bridge to future capabilities that also
    maintains and safeguards our readiness for today's fight.
        The F/A-18 is presently the backbone of the Navy's carrier air
    wing. While I appreciate a forward-looking focus with the Next
    Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program, as I understand it, NGAD will
    not provide a successor to the Super Hornet until 2030, at the very
    earliest. I'm concerned that if we end Super Hornet production
    prematurely, simply relying upon Service Life Modification (SLM)
    upgrades to get our fleet to Block III-capable is not a sound bridging
    solution, particularly when the SLM process is already falling behind
    schedule.
        When the Block III program began in 2018-2019, the Navy planned to
    have 20 Block III-capable Super Hornet squadrons by 2027. But
    currently, 67 Block II aircraft that were meant to be upgraded between
    2018 and 2023 are already pushed back to at least 2024.
        If we combine this SLM slow down with no funding for additional
    Super Hornets this year or next, the Navy is ultimately short 103 Block
    III-capable Super Hornets that you initially planned to have by 2027.
    We then have three more years, at a minimum, before the Next Generation
    Air Dominance Program produces results that we can operationally
    employ.
        My question for you, Secretary Harker, is can you help me
    understand this modified bridging strategy to the next generation of
    our carrier's air wing? Would it not make more sense to continue with
    the original Super Hornet transition plan--to continue the production
    line for several more years while working Block III modifications--to
    achieve the necessary inventory levels of the most capable tactical
    fighter in the Navy's current inventory until a successor is ready?
        Answer. To ensure the Navy has the advanced capabilities required
    to compete with peer adversaries in the 2020s and 2030s, continued
    investments in the procurement of new F-35C and the Next Generation Air
    Dominance Family of Systems (NGAD FoS) are necessary. Given the ongoing
    delivery of new procurement Block III F/A-18E/F, new procurement F-35C,
    and Service Life Modification (SLM) to extend the life and capability
    of existing F/A-18E/F Block II aircraft, strike-fighter shortfall
    (SFSF) is projected to be eliminated by 2025. Additional procurement of
    new F/A-18E/F Block III aircraft beyond fiscal year 2021 is not
    required to mitigate near- or long-term SFSF risk. The Navy assesses
    that new F/A-18E/F procurement beyond fiscal year 2021 would arrive
    late-to-need to address near-term SFSF challenges--which are actively
    being managed- and excess-to-need for fourth generation aircraft
    capacity to meet the demands of the National Defense Strategy.
        NAVPLAN 2021 prioritizes development of capabilities to enable a
    more lethal and better connected fleet that can outpace the growing
    Chinese threat. New F/A-18E/Fs delivered in fiscal year 2026 will have
    the service life (10K Flight Hours) to operate well into the 2050s.
    Current analysis shows the F/A-18E/F is insufficient to meet the Long
    Range Fires requirement against peer threats in the 2030s, even when
    partnered with F-35C. Engineering Change Proposals (ECPs) for BLKIII
    that were anticipated to increase range never srune to fruition. The
    remaining ECPs do increase capability as a stop-gap in the short-term,
    however further procurement of F/A-18E/F at the expense of future
    capability will directly inhibit the Navy's ability to fight and win in
    the Great Power Competition. Procurement of F-35C and SLM remain our
    best levers to manage Strike Fighter capacity until NGAD FoS comes
    online.
        The Navy is on track to meet the Super Hornet Block III supply
    requirements demanded by the Master Aviation Plan 20-02 (MAP 20-02).
    Block III capacity is being delivered through new procurement and
    upgrading Block II aircraft to Block III capabilities through SLM
    beginning in Quarter 4 (Q4) fiscal year 2022. Through 2027, Boeing will
    deliver 78 new Block III aircraft (fiscal year 2021 through fiscal year
    2025), and 119 SLM Block III aircraft to meet our Carrier Air Wing
    requirements.
        Today we have 436 BLK II aircraft. Due to fiscal constraints, we
    are not currently maximizing Boeing's advertised SLM conversion
    capacity. We have the inventory and capacity to meter SLM output as
    required in the future.
        The flyaway cost for a new Block III F/A-18E/F is $69 million in
    calendar year 2020. Block III modifications required to convert a Block
    II aircraft is currently estimated at $9 million. Adding Block III
    modification costs to SLM establishes an estimated cost of $18-$23
    million per aircraft. A cost range was required due to multiple
    aircraft configurations of the F/A-1BE/F fleet, all of which require
    different configurations and modifications. Current estimates show that
    three SLM aircraft can be upgraded to Block III configuration for the
    srune cost as one brand new aircraft, without impacting Strike Fighter
    Inventory Management (SFIM).
        Though there have been unanticipated delays in the early phase of
    SLM, Boeing is confident it can meet the projected SLM turnaround and
    delivery times for Block III aircraft. While there is risk inherent in
    the analysis and projections, there are currently several risk
    mitigation actions underway-by both Boeing and the Navy to ensure the
    Carrier Air Wings will have enough Block III aircraft to meet
    operational requirements.
        SLM has two phases of execution. Phase 1 is the planned 'crawl and
    'walk' phases of SLM which is only a flight hour extension of Block II
    aircraft from 6000 to 7500 flight hours and does not include Block III
    capabilities. Phase 1 has experienced unanticipated challenges with the
    material condition of early aircraft inductions, which has driven a
    significant increase to SLM workload, staffing gaps, slower learning,
    significant cost overruns, and schedule delay. In response to these
    challenges, both Boeing and the Navy have implemented mitigation
    strategies. Boeing has surged staff at both SLM locations (St Louis,
    MO, and San Antonio, TX) and has initiated early detection teams for
    common material condition cost/schedule drivers with a feedback loop to
    Navy fleet. The Navy has commenced pre-SLM grooming to address known
    material condition prior to SLM induction and established improved
    corrosion prevention practices. A total of 49 aircraft will receive SLM
    phase 1 and will complete in Q4 fiscal year 2022.
        SLM Phase 2 is the full Block Ill upgrade to 10,000 flight hours
    and the same capabilities as new production aircraft. Phase 2 is
    expected to commence in Q4 fiscal year 2022 with Boeing advertised
    turnaround time (TAT) per aircraft inducted of 12 months. The SLM
    program has seen steady improvement to cost and schedule since
    mitigations were implemented, and Boeing is confident they can achieve
    the 12-month TAT for SLM phase 2. As part of the Navy's SFIM planning,
    the Navy has determined that the MAP 20-02 demand can be met with up to
    an 18-month TAT. Even if some of the SLM phase 1 complications were to
    continue into phase 2, there will be minimal to no effect to the Block
    III capacity to meet the MAP20-02 demand.
        The SLM of existing F/A-18E/F aircraft, combined with an active F-
    35C production line, are the two risk mitigations in place for the Navy
    to manage total strike-fighter inventory. The total number of SLM
    aircraft conversions will depend on the timeline for the NGAD FoS
    initial operational capability and full operational capability in the
    2030s. The Navy will continue to SLM aircraft at a rate commensurate
    with capacity requirements, with an option to SLM all current Block II
    FIA-18E/F aircraft if deemed necessary.
                                     ______

                   Questions Submitted by Senator John Hoeven
        Question. I am a strong supporter of our nuclear deterrent, not
    only the two legs of the triad located at Minot Air Force Base with our
    B-52s and the Minuteman III ICBMs, but also the submarine based leg of
    the triad. You've stated that the Columbia-class submarine, which will
    replace the aging Ohio class, is the Navy's top procurement priority,
    but of course, you also have to ensure that the D5 Trident, which is
    the ballistic missile carried by our boomers, is ready and reliable
    when the Columbia-class boats enter the fleet.
        Could you describe the basic plan to modernize the Trident missiles
    and whether there is any coordination with the Air Force's effort to
    modernize our land-based ICBMs?
        Answer. The Navy is committed to ensuring that the transition
    between Ohio-class and Columbia-class submarines stays on schedule.
    This includes a seamless transition of the current TRIDENT II D5 Life
    Extension (D5LE) weapon system and missile inventory on to the new
    Columbia-class. To be clear, the D5LE weapon system currently deployed
    on Ohio-class will be the same weapon system deployed on the first
    eight hulls of the Columbia-class. To ensure the Navy has missiles for
    Columbia Hull 9 and able to replace the missiles on the first eight
    hulls when the missiles' safety-related components expire, it is
    imperative that we start the work on a future missile and corresponding
    weapons system now. This next generation of the current OSLE missile--a
    missile in service since 1989 and boasting a remarkable history of 182
    successful flight tests--is called D5 Life Extension 2 (D5LE2). Several
    areas of the industrial base will have to be reconstituted as suppliers
    of critical obsolete components have gone out of business or shifted
    production to other fields. D5LE2 will primarily safely extend the D5
    strategic weapons system, but this industrial base reconstitution
    coupled with improved manufacturing processes also provides the
    opportunity to build in flexibility that will ensure that TRIDENT
    remains credible in the face of a dynamic threat environment throughout
    the Columbia-class service life. D5LE2 must be developed, tested, and
    produced with the lead-time sufficient to deploy 16 missiles on
    Columbia Hull 9 in fiscal year 2039.
        The Navy works closely with the Air Force and Missile Defense
    Agency (MDA) through a Flag Level 2018 Memorandum of Understanding
    (MOU) that governs the collaboration of strategic ballistic missile
    systems. The efforts established by this MOU enable affordability by
    avoiding redundant efforts (e.g., Radiation Hardened Electronics
    Testing and Flight Testing Instrumentation), advance capability by
    sharing and leap frogging technology (e.g., Strategic Grade Inertial
    Measuring Units), and reduce risks across programs via industrial base
    collaboration (e.g., Solid Rocket Motor Production). With similar
    technical challenges and a joint industrial base, the Navy fully
    recognizes the importance of collaborating with both the Air Force and
    MDA while simultaneously sustaining and modernizing our strategic
    ballistic missile systems.
                                     ______

                 Questions Submitted to Admiral Michael Gilday
                  Questions Submitted by Senator Patrick Leahy
        Question. Given the administration's priority of taking care of our
    people, and the important role that unit cohesion plays in improving
    readiness, it's crucial that the Navy take a fresh look at policies and
    practices that may not support all servicemembers. To that end, please
    outline what changes, if any, the Navy has made, is making, plans to
    make, or is considering in order to:
        Improve diversity in leadership positions;
        Answer. Navy has implemented numerous initiatives to improve
    diverse representation in leadership positions and is currently
    implementing recommendations from the Task Force One Navy (TF1N) final
    report. TF1N was established to identify and make recommendations to
    dismantle barriers to equality while creating sustainable
    opportunities, ultimately achieving our desired end-state of
    warfighting excellence. Following the TF1N final report, Navy removed
    photographs during all Officer Selection and Command/Milestone Boards.
    Additionally, Navy requires diverse representation on all boards and
    provides bias training to board members to be aware of their potential
    conscious and unconscious bias and ensure board fairness.
        Question. Improve diversity retention at all levels;
        Answer. To improve diversity retention, I meet routinely with our
    17 Navy Community Leaders, all flag officers, to discuss various
    community challenges to include the diversity demographics of each
    community, initiatives to support the recruiting and retention of
    under-represented groups, the prevalence of destructive behaviors, and
    efforts to develop and retain future leaders. We conduct listening
    sessions around the Fleet to ensure all voices are heard and that
    Sailors and civilian employees understand their opinions matter and are
    taken into account by command leadership. Additionally, the Navy Junior
    Officer Counsel formed a formal link between Junior Officers and Senior
    Navy Leadership to provide feedback, ensuring we are doing everything
    we can to make our Junior Officers feel connected and included. Though
    Navy has more work to do to reduce and eliminate barriers to upward
    career trajectory based on race, gender, ethnicity, or socio-cultural
    background, we are encouraged by our team's progress.
        Question. Improve trainings, including sexual assault prevention,
    with input from women, LGBTQ servicemembers, BIPOC servicemembers, and
    sexual assault survivors;
        Answer. Our training is being updated to incorporate the Navy's
    Culture of Excellence and associated Signature Behaviors with input
    from our sexual assault prevention and response team. Adult learning
    theory best practices concerning small-group, facilitated discussions
    will be also be used throughout the training. Once the training is in
    the pilot phase, we intend to solicit input from different populations
    of Sailors that may include specific groups such as women, LGBTQ,
    BIPOC, and sexual assault survivors.
        Question. Increase availability and accessibility of mental health
    support services for servicemembers and their families, including
    services tailored specifically toward minority servicemembers;
        Answer. Senator Leahy, I want to assure you that the Navy remains
    committed to promoting, maintaining and advancing a healthcare
    environment which adheres to the principles of community and equity by
    fostering principles that support: Care with Request; Excellence with
    Equity; Mindful Actions with Transparency, Responsibility and
    Accountability; and Diversity with Inclusion.
        Specific to mental health support services, Navy ascribes to a ``no
    wrong door'' policy to assist Sailors and family members in getting
    help and support. This policy helps to facilitate access and decrease
    stigma in seeking mental health and substance misuse services. Services
    are available worldwide, including in specialty clinics, within primary
    care, at Navy installation counseling centers, on the waterfront, and
    embedded within the Fleet. Sailors and their families can also get
    mental health support, to include chaplains, Military and Family Life
    Counseling, Fleet and Family Support Centers, and Military OneSource.
        Within Navy Medicine efforts are underway develop more formal
    structures for addressing and integrating health equity/disparities
    within the context of the Navy's Diversity and Inclusion Framework.
    This work includes collaboration with the Defense Health Agency and the
    other Services to advance access, equity and opportunity amongst the
    healthcare staff as well as develop programs to ensure equitable care
    and treatment for all service members and families.
        Question. Improve outreach to and support for minority
    servicemembers facing discrimination from within their units;
        Answer. Navy ensures all personnel are aware of the command and
    shore-based assistance available to those who need help in processing
    harassment or unlawful discrimination reports. In addition, Navy
    identifies available counseling support or referral services for all
    personnel involved in incidents of harassment or unlawful
    discrimination.
        Follow-up debriefs are conducted with complainants no later than 45
    days following the determination or resolution of harassment or
    unlawful discrimination report to determine the complainant's
    satisfaction with the effectiveness of the corrective action,
    timeliness, present command climate, and to ensure retaliation did not
    occur.
        Question. Improve medical care for transgender servicemembers,
    women, and Black parents, particularly for transition care, pregnancy,
    and post-partum care;
        Answer. Navy is committed to ensuring all Sailors are treated with
    dignity and respect and have access to the highest quality healthcare
    in accordance with current evidence-based practice guidelines. We
    currently have two Navy Medicine interdisciplinary expert Regional
    Transgender Care Teams in place to support and improve the health and
    lives of transgender and gender non-binary Sailors. Our experts work
    closely with Defense Health Agency and our Army and Air Force
    colleagues to ensure we incorporate best clinical practices in support
    of the medical readiness of our transgender and gender non-binary
    Sailors.
        We continue to recognize and emphasize the importance of innovative
    pregnancy and postpartum care, resources, and educational materials for
    our Sailors to facilitate their return to duty. Our updated Physical
    Readiness Program policy provides postpartum Sailors more time, 12
    months vice 9 months, to fully recover in a healthy manner prior to
    being required to meet fitness and body composition standards. We are
    also prioritizing the importance of ensuring our pregnant and
    postpartum Sailors have access to the support they need. Navy Medicine
    has developed a Postpartum Return to Duty Resource to provide Sailors
    with critical education on physical fitness, mental health, support
    services, and Navy and Marine Corps policies related to the postpartum
    transition to full duty. Within the Military Health System, our Navy
    Medicine women's health experts participate with the Defense Health
    Agency and the other Services on lines of efforts focused on women's
    health, perinatal practices, newborn and infants as well as review of
    data and issues related to maternal and infant healthcare disparities,
    health equity, and social determinants of health which may be impacted
    by race/ethnicity.
                                     ______

                 Questions Submitted to General David H. Berger
                  Questions Submitted by Senator Patrick Leahy
        Question. Given the administration's priority of taking care of our
    people, and the important role that unit cohesion plays in improving
    readiness, it's crucial that the Marine Corps take a fresh look at
    policies and practices that may not support all service members. To
    that end, please outline what changes, if any, the Marine Corps has
    made, is making, plans to make, or is considering in order to:
        Improve diversity in leadership positions;
        Answer. Diversity and inclusion are force multipliers and take
    advantage of the wide array of experiences and perspectives necessary
    to maintain our current and future warfighting excellence. We are
    committed to capitalizing on the knowledge, skills, abilities,
    performance, and potential of every Marine.
        Diversity in the Marine Corps is increasing. Since 2009, diverse
    enlisted accessions have increased from 34 percent to 43 percent, and
    diverse officer accessions have increased from 16 percent to 35
    percent. Women officer accessions have increased from 8 percent to 13.8
    percent during this same time period. Women represented in previously
    restricted military occupational specialties (MOS's) are also on the
    rise. Last year, 737 women were in previously restricted units; that
    number is now 1,101. Similarly, 283 women were serving in previously
    restricted MOS's; today that number is 415, including the first woman
    Reconnaissance Marine.
        This year, the Marine Corps reached the level of 21 percent in
    diversity for Brigadier Generals and Brigadier General-selects, the
    highest level of diverse representation at that rank in Marine Corps
    history. And by the end of July of this year, two minority officers
    from that cohort will promote to Major General. We look forward to
    seeing this trend continue.
        The Marine Corps is a full partner with the Office of the Secretary
    of Defense and the other Services in accomplishing the recommendations
    set out in the Secretary's Diversity and Inclusion Board Final Report.
    However, the Marine Corps is also taking its own initiative to both
    study and make changes to continue to improve diversity and inclusion.
        First, our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Strategic Plan will
    guide our actions over the next 5 years in the areas of recruiting and
    accessions, talent management, education, training, and commandership.
    It provides a framework to align a number of efforts, identify new
    initiatives, and provide oversight across the Corps for implementation
    by commanders at every level. One of our first actions to implement our
    plan was the appointment of a general officer as the Service's Chief
    Diversity and Inclusion Officer. This position will communicate program
    goals, develop policy, and action per the aforementioned strategic
    plan. Concurrently, the Marine Corps bolstered the Diversity, Equity,
    and Inclusion Review Board (DRB). The DRB serves as the action arm of
    the Marine Corps Diversity and Inclusion Management Program to address
    diversity, inclusion, and command climate issues that may affect the
    Marine Corps.
        Second, a host of independent studies are currently underway to
    better understand diversity and inclusion challenges and make
    improvements. Our Fitness Report Bias Study is an analysis which is
    examining the objectivity of the current performance appraisal process.
    The Basic School Military Occupational Specialty Assignment Study which
    will examine historical performance data, based on demographics, to
    evaluate the impact of performance on MOS assignment. We are also
    funding an independent study to identify and understand any barriers to
    advancement and retention of women and minorities in the Marine Corps.
    Finally, our Exit & Milestone Longitudinal Survey provides feedback to
    better understand personnel satisfaction regarding career
    opportunities, leadership, performance management, diversity, and work-
    life programs.
        Outreach and external engagement are an important facet of our
    holistic approach to diversity and inclusion. We have steadily
    increased our Outreach Program budget from $150,000 in fiscal year 2014
    to $1 million in fiscal year 2021. This Program provides opportunities
    for professional development, mentoring, and networking experiences by
    fully funding approximately 500 Marines to attend 19 national/regional
    conferences hosted by non-Federal entity affinity groups events
    throughout the year.
        The Marine Corps is working collaboratively with our training
    command to incorporate unconscious bias training at every rank
    throughout the training continuum. Diversity of thought and experience
    that each Marine brings will help us find more creative and innovative
    solutions to these future challenges.
        Diversity and inclusion are, more than anything, a leadership
    issue. Marine leaders must not just talk about changing culture--they
    must be the example of how to treat fellow Marines and all individuals
    with dignity, respect, empathy and compassion.
        Question. Improve diversity retention at all levels;
        Answer. See response to 1a above.
        Question. Improve trainings, including sexual assault prevention,
    with input from women, LGBTQ servicemembers, BIPOC servicemembers, and
    sexual assault survivors;
        Answer. Collaboration is key in addressing sexual assault
    prevention and response. We have collaborated with sexual assault
    survivors, members of the LGBTQ+ community, SAPR personnel, women, and
    BIPOC servicemembers to improve our SAPR training; we will continue to
    do so. Our SAPR program works together with the other Services,
    Department of the Navy and Department of Defense Sexual Assault
    Prevention and Response Offices, and outside entities to enhance our
    ability to prevent and respond to sexual assault, identify best
    practices, and leverage resources.
        Our continued focus on prevention seeks to tailor training to
    specific levels of leadership. This enables a multi-layered approach to
    prevention to fit Marines of every age, rank, and billet. For example,
    our updated SAPR annual training for Staff Non-Commissioned Officers
    (SNCO) provides more focus at the small unit level. This training's
    goal is to help increase SNCO knowledge about sexual assault,
    reporting, resources, rank-specific roles and responsibilities, and to
    build skills consistent with primary prevention.
        We also updated the SAPR training for the Commander's Course to
    better prepare senior leadership to prevent sexual assault once they
    assume command. This includes information focused on actionable
    recommendations for pre-command leaders and small group discussions
    facilitated by Marine Corps mentors and SAPR experts. Commanders set
    the tone of their unit--we know how important it is to ensure they are
    equipped before they assume command to establish the right command
    climate--a climate that encourages Marines to look out for one another
    and report destructive behaviors and crimes, and that mandates
    accountability for perpetrators and enablers. Likewise, we updated
    First Sergeant's Course to include actionable recommendations for
    sexual assault prevention, information on responses to trauma, and
    actions to take if one of their Marines is sexually assaulted,
    appropriate to their new positions.
        While we highlight our prevention efforts, we acknowledge that we
    are not where we need to be; we still have incidents of sexual
    harassment and assault and so we must ensure we provide the best
    support possible to victims. A revised SAPR Victim Advocate (VA)
    training was released in October 2019 and has been fully implemented.
    The revised 40-hour curriculum focuses on building and refining
    advocacy skills and includes cultural competency and prevention
    training. We are currently revising Sexual Assault Response Coordinator
    (SARC) Initial Training to build on advocacy and cultural competency
    skills taught in the 40-hour training and prepare SARCs to oversee
    their SAPR program.
        The Marine Corps continually evaluates SAPR initiatives for
    effectiveness by conducting needs assessments, surveys, and staffing
    analysis. SARC and VA training curriculum development has been
    standardized which better ensures that Marines understand reporting
    options, SARCs and VAs are prepared to support victims, and all
    understand their role in sexual assault prevention.
        We want to leverage technological developments too. We are
    implementing online evaluation tools for select SAPR annual training,
    Victim Advocate training, and Sexual Assault Response Coordinators
    initial training. The evaluation tools measure changes in knowledge,
    attitudes, and intentions, as well as training satisfaction,
    consistency of instruction, and quality of instruction. These
    evaluation results will inform local SAPR personnel, as well as HQMC
    personnel, on the effectiveness of the trainings.
        Question. Increase availability and accessibility of mental health
    support services for servicemembers and their families, including
    services tailored specifically toward minority servicemembers;
        Answer. Marine Corps' focus is to treat all Service member and
    their families with equality while recognizing and embracing diversity.
    Accessibility of nonmedical support services was expanded in May 2020
    to telephonic and virtual platforms. Traditional knee-cap to knee-cap
    counseling remained intact whenever possible as well. Although each
    installation across the Marine Corps provides published service hours,
    standard practice from the field staff in the behavioral health
    programs is to accommodate alternate hours upon request.
        Two significant support programs are the Unit Marine Awareness and
    Prevention Integrated Training for Marines (UMAPIT) and our Operational
    Stress Control and Readiness (OSCAR) programs. UMAPIT is a training and
    education calendar year requirement for all Marines, and provides
    specific information and actions Marines can employ to access mental
    health resources. OSCAR is a Marine-trained team of Marines within
    Marine Corps units who help recognize and respond to stress. If a
    Marine believes their stress-level is negatively impacting their unit,
    an OSCAR member is there to talk and to connect the Marine with other
    resources. These and other programs are specifically geared to
    nonmedical mental health support.
        The Marine Corps remains committed to promoting, maintaining, and
    advancing a healthcare environment that adheres to the principles of
    community and equity by fostering principles that support: Care with
    Request; Excellence with Equity; Mindful Actions with Transparency,
    Responsibility and Accountability; and Diversity with Inclusion.
        Specific to mental health support services, the Marine Corps
    ascribes to a ``no wrong door'' policy to assist Marines and family
    members in getting help and support. This policy helps to facilitate
    access and decrease stigma in seeking mental health and substance
    misuse services. These services are available worldwide, including in
    specialty clinics, within primary care, at Marine Corps installation
    counseling centers, and embedded within the Fleet Marine Force.
        Marines and their families can also get mental health support, to
    include chaplains, Military and Family Life Counseling, Marine & Family
    Programs, and Military OneSource.
        Within Navy Medicine, efforts are underway to develop more formal
    structures for addressing and integrating health equity/disparities
    within the context of the Department of the Navy's Diversity and
    Inclusion Strategic Framework. This work includes collaboration with
    the Defense Health Agency and the other Services to advance access,
    equity, and opportunity amongst the healthcare staff; as well as
    develop programs to ensure equitable care and treatment for all service
    members and families.
        Question. Improve outreach to and support for minority
    servicemembers facing discrimination from within their units;
        Answer. The Marine Corps' support for minority service members
    facing discrimination within their units is rooted in the DoD's
    Strategic Elements of prevention, reporting, advocacy, education/
    training, and accountability; with Marine Corps Order (MCO) 5354.1F,
    ``Prohibited Activities and Conduct (PAC) Prevention and Response
    Policy,'' encompassing all of the aforementioned elements of support.
        Our PAC order defines that any conduct discriminating an individual
    or a group based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex
    (including pregnancy), gender identity, or sexual orientation is
    prohibited by all personnel. The order describes how qualitative and
    quantitative data collection from Command Climate Assessments (CCAs)
    allows commands to best leverage command-level Equal Opportunity
    Advisors/Equal Opportunity Representatives (EOAs/EORs) to facilitate
    focus groups and tailor annual PAC training to include additional
    topics, as part of a comprehensive prevention strategy.
        Not only do all Marines complete PAC training every year, commands
    can use their EOAs/EORs to conduct additional PAC training or focus
    groups, at any time, in order to combat PAC behavioral trends.
        As an additional part of CCAs, any areas falling below the average
    require a corrective action plan by the commander. The plan is
    implemented and evaluated during all Comprehensive Command Inspections,
    Independent Command Inspections, and the Commanding General's
    Inspection Program Inspections as an additional level of validation by
    external command entities. The commander is appropriately held further
    accountable on his/her annual fitness report by a statement identifying
    a commander's failure, if any, to conduct required CCAs.
        Annual PAC training also informs unit members that any complaints
    of violating behaviors they witness can be reported for command
    resolution. The complaint will then be resolved through informal or
    formal resolution. All unit members have access to full-time EOAs and
    collateral-duty EORs, who provide advice and guidance to complainants
    on matters related to PAC. Typically, EOAs/EORs provide the annual
    training and conduct focus groups, so unit members know who these
    appointed personnel are, but each command also posts fliers identifying
    these personnel in an effort to ensure service members have this
    information at all times.
        Additionally, the PAC order stipulates commanders must ensure
    Service members have access to support services, such as mental health
    counseling, medical, EOA, Victim and Witness Assistance Personnel, and
    Victim Legal Counsel.
        The Marine Corps takes a comprehensive approach to support minority
    service members facing discrimination within units. Combatting such
    behavior is a team effort that requires the commander to set the
    correct climate denouncing PAC violations, EOAs/EORs educate and
    support the command and its unit members, and each unit member being
    held appropriately accountable for their actions.
        Question. Improve medical care for transgender servicemembers,
    women, and Black parents, particularly for transition care, pregnancy,
    and post-partum care;
        Answer. The Marine Corps is committed to ensuring all Marines are
    treated with dignity and respect, along with access to the highest
    quality healthcare in accordance with current evidence-based practice
    guidelines. There are currently two Navy Medicine interdisciplinary
    expert Regional Transgender Care Teams in place to support and improve
    the health and lives of transgender and gender non-binary Marines.
    These experts work closely with the Defense Health Agency, as well as
    Army and Air Force colleagues, to ensure the best clinical practices
    are incorporated in support of the medical readiness of our transgender
    and gender non-binary Marines.
        We continue to recognize and emphasize the importance of innovative
    pregnancy and postpartum care, resources, and educational materials for
    our Marines to facilitate their return to duty. Our physical readiness
    program is focused on providing postpartum Marines time to fully
    recover in a healthy manner prior to being required to meet fitness and
    body composition standards. We also recognize the importance of
    ensuring our pregnant and postpartum Marines have access to the support
    they need. Navy Medicine has developed a Postpartum Return to Duty
    Resource to provide Marines with critical education on physical
    fitness, mental health, support services, as well as Navy and Marine
    Corps guidance related to the postpartum transition to full duty.
    Within the Military Health System, Navy Medicine women's health experts
    participate with the Defense Health Agency and the other Services on
    lines of effort focused on women's health, perinatal practices, newborn
    and infants; as well as review of data and issues related to maternal
    and infant healthcare disparities, health equity, and social
    determinants of health that may be impacted by race/ethnicity.
                                     ______

                Questions Submitted by Senator Dianne Feinstein
        Question. General Berger, last year we lost 8 Marines and 1 Sailor
    during a terrible training accident involving an Amphibious Assault
    Vehicle off the coast of California. The investigation report
    highlighted several training and equipment deficiencies.
        How is the Marine Corps working to prevent a recurrence of future
    amphibious vehicle accidents, and has the Marine Corps requested enough
    funding in the budget to adequately maintain these vehicles and procure
    the replacement vehicles?
        Answer. The Marine Corps is committed to identifying the issues
    that led to this tragedy and to preventing future occurrences. We have
    concluded a safety investigation and a command investigation into the
    facts and circumstances surrounding the sinking of 15th Marine
    Expeditionary Unit's (MEU) amphibious assault vehicle (AAV) and the
    resulting loss of life. An investigation into the formation of the 15th
    MEU is pending endorsement. Finally, a Blue Ribbon Panel of senior
    Marine Corps and Navy personnel has formed and is currently conducting
    a strategic review of amphibious operations.
        We are confident the safety and command investigations identified
    contributing and causal factors. As a result of these investigations,
    the Marine Corps has directed 23 institutional actions to ensure the
    safe execution of AAV waterborne operations. These actions fall into
    one of three categories: equipment, procedures, and training. Equipment
    actions include a combination of equipment advances and additional
    inspections such as: procurement and sustainment of a Waterborne Egress
    Capability program; electronic tablets for crewmembers to manage
    associated technical and procedural manuals; and new criteria for hull
    watertight integrity, bilge pump function, communications systems, and
    emergency egress lighting systems. To address procedural actions, the
    Marine Corps has administered many publication and policy reviews to
    operating procedures, technical manuals, and safety structure
    requirements during training. These include updates to: training and
    qualification prerequisites; authority and decisionmaking procedures;
    and safety boat requirements. Finally, training actions include
    implementing additional standards for water survival, underwater egress
    training for both crew members and embarked personnel, and standardized
    knowledge tests for crew members. These last two tasks, plus oversight
    of mechanical and procedural inspections, have to be completed by
    operational level units and certified by the first general officer in
    the chain of command in order for them to gain authority to perform
    waterborne operations.
        We have fully funded the AAV program to implement the institutional
    actions related to the safety and command investigations as well as
    routine maintenance requirements.
        We are confident the directed service level actions will rectify
    any issues that contributed to this terrible tragedy with the goal of
    ensuring no similar incident occurs again.
                                     ______

                 Questions Submitted by Senator Lisa Murkowski
        Question. The Navy and Marine Corps Arctic strategy document,
    ``Blue Arctic'' specifically states the ``The [Naval Services] will be
    postured to deter aggressive and malign behavior, keep the seas free
    and open, and assure allies and partners of our long-term commitment to
    preserving peace and advancing shared interests.'' It also emphasizes
    the need for ``credible naval forces [to] ensure the ability to deter
    competitors and rapidly respond to crises in the region.''
        Do you see any lessons learned in the Marine Corps' Expeditionary
    Advanced Based Operations (EABO) concept that can be applied to a
    homeland archipelago, such as the Aleutians, for a deterrence model?
        Answer. Yes, the capabilities used to conduct Expeditionary
    Advanced Base Operations (EABO) would be especially useful in a complex
    homeland archipelago such as the Aleutians. EABO is a form of
    expeditionary warfare that involves the employment of mobile, low-
    signature, persistent, and relatively easy to maintain and sustain
    naval expeditionary forces from a series of austere, temporary
    locations ashore or inshore within a contested or potentially contested
    maritime area in order to conduct sea denial, support sea control, or
    enable fleet sustainment. The capabilities we are developing to conduct
    EABO--to include various combinations of manned and unmanned sensors
    and long-range precision fires--are absolutely applicable to detecting
    and countering malign behavior, contributing to integrated deterrence
    and, if necessary, conducting sea denial to maintain the sovereign
    integrity of our own waters.
        Through an iterative campaign of experimentation and exercises, the
    Marine Corps will continue to refine and update the capabilities and
    force structure required to conduct EABO over the coming years.
        Question. At a recent budget hearing for the State Department,
    Secretary Blinken told me that, by his own determination, and I quote:
    ``the United States would be extremely well served by ratifying the Law
    of the Sea Treaty.'' He even went as far as to say that this is not
    only his opinion, but ``it's been the judgement across the board by our
    military leadership, uniform and civilian for many years.'' Secretary
    Blinken is the latest in a long line of department secretaries to agree
    on this point. I believe that ratifying the Law of the Sea is in the
    best interest of the United States. Along with Senator Hirono, I put
    forward legislation urging the Senate to ratify Law of Sea.
        General Berger, would you expect Marines to be required for
    missions to uphold UNCLOS norms?
        Answer. Yes. Our Marines are expected and trained to uphold our
    international legal obligations in all military operations.
        Question. As a naval service chief, do you believe the Senate
    should ratify the Law of Sea?
        Answer. Consistent with past Commandants, I believe acceding to the
    Convention could strengthen our position when challenging violations of
    international law by our adversaries.
        While the Convention reflects customary international law on which
    the United States has long relied for its freedoms of navigation and
    overflight around the world, acceding to the Convention would reinforce
    these rights and freedoms.
        Question. What benefit will it provide to the United States? Would
    we be in a stronger military position if we were to ratify the Law of
    the Sea?
        Answer. The Convention reflects the traditional uses of the oceans
    such as navigation and overflight rights and freedoms across the globe
    for our civilian and military ships and aircraft. These traditional
    uses, including innocent passage through other nations' territorial
    seas and transit passage through, under, and over international
    straits, are vital to our national security interests. To date, the
    United States has relied on customary international law as the legal
    basis for these rights and freedoms, but customary international law
    will not adequately protect U.S. maritime security interests over the
    long term. For instance, a number of our adversaries claim that only
    States that are party to the Convention enjoy the rights and freedoms
    that the Convention provides. Acceding to the Convention would solidify
    these and other rights and freedoms in a manner beneficial to naval
    operations, facilitate closer cooperation with our allies and partners,
    and disarm our adversaries of these claims. Joining the Convention is
    the best means of securing U.S. rights and freedoms, and maximizing the
    ability of our armed forces to move through and over the world's ocean
    waters.
        The Marine Corps is a naval expeditionary force-in-readiness
    prepared to operate inside actively contested maritime spaces in
    support of fleet operations that are largely dependent upon the
    navigational rights enumerated in the Convention. Moreover, the United
    States conducts its operations in coalitions with allies and partners--
    most of whom are parties to the Convention. Acceding to the Convention
    will reinforce U.S. leadership and influence in the shaping of global
    maritime law and policy in ways that serve U.S. interests, validate
    U.S. maritime activities under international law, and demonstrate U.S.
    commitment to the rule of law in the conduct of its operations.
        Question. And what would you say to those that want to be tough on
    China and Russia, but are still against the ratification of the treaty?
        Answer. Accession to the Convention would allow the United States
    to participate in future law of the sea discussions on a coequal level
    with China and Russia, who are member States. In 1983, President Reagan
    set forth the U.S. Oceans Policy, which stated that the United States
    will not ``acquiesce in unilateral acts of other States designed to
    restrict the rights and freedoms of the international community in
    navigation and overflight and other related high seas uses.'' China's
    increasingly aggressive posture in the South China Sea is a direct
    attack on the international rules-based order embodied by the
    Convention. Its conduct of gray zone activities seeks to erode its
    provisions. As a party to the Convention, U.S. objections to these
    violations would have significantly more force and credibility. The
    United States would also be better positioned to contest excessive
    maritime claims and other unlawful activities by China and others, such
    as Russia and Iran, who continuously attempt to restrict the
    Convention's navigational rights and freedoms.
                                     ______

                   Questions Submitted by Senator John Hoeven
        Question. You mentioned in your written statement that you expect
    to make use of medium altitude, long endurance unmanned aircraft like
    the MQ-9 even when Marines are deployed in close proximity to our
    adversaries. Additionally, your fiscal year 2022 budget request
    includes a substantial investment in the MQ-9A extended range aircraft.
        Could you describe the role you expect unmanned aircraft to play
    for Marines deployed near China or Russia?
        Answer. The MQ-9A Extended Range will fulfill a primary mission of
    communication and data relay with an additional airborne early warning
    capability. This will provide deployed Marine Corps and Joint Force
    units with persistent tactical maritime Intelligence, Surveillance, and
    Reconnaissance (ISR) and command and control gateways. The MQ-9A
    Extended Range is also a critical enabler to the Naval force in
    building an alternate Precision, Navigation, and Timing network.
        The Marine Corps seeks to procure six MQ-9A Extended Range systems
    in fiscal year 2022, and a total of 18 systems over the next several
    years, to form three Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) squadrons. The
    Marine Corps will leverage an existing Air Force system and two current
    Marine Corps assets in USCENTCOM to reduce risk, while providing
    advanced capabilities to the Marine Corps and overall joint warfighting
    enterprise.
        Additionally, the Marine Corps continues to develop and experiment
    a family of UAS with a variety of plug-and-play payloads. These systems
    will give ground combat units organic Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and
    Target Acquisition (RSTA) assets capable of supporting long-range
    precision kinetic and non-kinetic fires, both afloat and ashore. This
    includes conducting extended user evaluations with industry leading
    systems to include the UAV V-BAT and the Stalker UAS to inform
    requirements for the Ground Combat Element.
                                     ______

                  Questions Submitted by Senator John Boozman
        Question. General Berger, the budget request includes a significant
    increase for the Ground Based Anti-Ship Missile program. I understand
    this program is vital to your future force design. Given the tough
    budget decisions facing this committee:
        Why is this program so important to the Marine Corps and what
    progress was made on the development of this program since last year?
        Answer. Ground Based Anti-Ship Missile (GBASM) is the Marine Corps'
    top modernization priority and is the key lethality component for the
    Marine Corps to facilitate sea denial in support of naval and joint
    operations. The capability creates cost impositions for an adversary by
    introducing a new and highly credible threat into their decisionmaking,
    while providing us with a relatively low cost and highly effective
    capability.
        The initial materiel solution for GBASM is the Navy-Marine
    Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) which consists of two
    Naval Strike Missiles mounted on a remotely operated Joint Light
    Tactical Vehicle (JLTV)-based chassis. By combining existing
    technologies in the missile and the platform, the Marine Corps has
    reduced programmatic risks through the use of proven capabilities,
    which enables us to move faster. The Marine Corps successfully tested
    this system against a ship target in November 2020, and in our fiscal
    year 2022 budget request, we are seeking funding for 10 production
    representative models (PRMs) for further developmental and operational
    testing. With the ability to strike enemy ships at ranges of 100
    nautical miles and beyond, we believe it will be a ``game changer'' for
    the Marine Corps, the Naval Fleet Commander, and Combatant Commanders.
        Additionally, the Marine Corps is developing a longer-range
    capability, which we call ``Long Range Fires.'' The Marine Corps
    successfully tested this program in March 2021.
        Question. How will the Unfunded Request for additional missiles
    support your fielding of this capability?
        Answer. Naval Strike Missiles are the munition component of the
    Navy/Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) which is
    the Marine Corps' first iteration of the GBASM capability. These
    additional missiles in the Unfunded Priority List (UPL) would provide
    greater magazine depth for the units that will employ them in the Indo-
    Pacific.
        As the pacing threat moves with us and technology develops at a
    speed faster than the budget, funding the entirety of our UPL request
    provides us the opportunity to capitalize on successful technological
    developments. This will accelerate additional capability to the
    Combatant
        Commanders, specifically in the Indo-Pacific, buying down strategic
    risk for them and our forward deployed forces, and deterring conflict
    sooner.
        Question. General Berger, I want to expand on 2030 Force Design.
    Secretary Austin recently testified in this committee that China is the
    #1 pacing threat. How will the different elements of your Force Design
    support the Joint Force within the INDOPACOM area of responsibility and
    how does the Pacific Deterrent Initiative support your efforts within
    the Joint Force?
        Answer. A new type of unit, the Marine Littoral Regiment (MLR), is
    a vital element of the Marine Corps' Force Design transformation. These
    new units will be task-organized and dispersed across key maritime
    terrain in the Indo-Pacific region to support the Naval and Joint
    Force. The MLR capabilities will augment and reinforce a host nation's
    ability to monitor, expose, and challenge malign behavior, but the MLRs
    will also be fully capable of operating without host-nation support if
    required. Additionally, the MLRs will be highly mobile, constantly
    changing their positioning and posture to increase ambiguity and
    increase the adversary's challenge of monitoring and targeting MLR
    units. In order to provide lethality when needed, the MLRs will possess
    complementary capabilities of sensing, communication, maneuverability,
    and precision fires. These characteristics and capabilities will reduce
    an adversary's confidence and encourage off-ramps from conflict.
        Marine Corps investments in new capabilities and current operations
    are in direct alignment with and supported by the Pacific Deterrence
    Initiative (PDI). Namely, PDI supports the Commandant's Force Design
    2030 initiative to build a force able to operate in actively contested
    spaces in support of the Joint Force, providing the Combatant Commander
    with ready, relevant crisis response forces and a capability to work
    effectively with allies and partners.
        As part of the Naval Expeditionary Force resiliency, investments
    allow Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) elements to maneuver,
    communicate, and conduct intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance
    within contested maritime environments. Air defense is provided through
    investments which will identify, track, and defeat enemy Unmanned
    Aerial Systems. Funding is also provided for effective Aviation Command
    and Control, to foster resiliency in logistics lines of communication,
    deter and defeat threats in the electromagnetic spectrum, and provide
    precision strike fire support in support of distributed operations.
    Investments in these capabilities allow our forward deployed Stand-in
    Force to support Joint operations inside the enemy's weapon engagement
    zone (WEZ) and to compete and deter in the contact and blunt layers.
        Additionally, PDI investments in security cooperation programs will
    strengthen relationships with our allies and partners in the Indo-
    Pacific region, and these investments directly support the Marine
    Forces Pacific Afloat Prepositioning Training and Exercise Employment
    Plan through the funding of exercises FREEDOM BANNER, BALIKATAN, and
    COBRA GOLD.

                              SUBCOMMITTEE RECESS

        Senator Tester. This committee stands in recess.
        [Whereupon, at 11:02 a.m., Thursday, June 24, the
    subcommittee was recessed, to reconvene subject to the call of
    the Chair.]

           DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022

                                  ----------

                            WEDNESDAY, JULY 21, 2021

                                           U.S. Senate,
               Subcommittee of the Committee on Appropriations,
                                                        Washington, DC.
        The subcommittee met at 10 a.m. in room SD-138, Dirksen
    Senate Office Building, Hon. Jon Tester (chairman) presiding.
        Present: Senators Tester, Shelby, Murkowski, Moran, Hoeven,
    and Boozman.

                             DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

                 Navy and Air Force Weapons Systems Divestments

                    OPENING STATEMENT OF SENATOR JON TESTER

        Senator Tester. I will call the hearing to order. I want to
    begin by welcoming our witnesses.
        Vice Admiral Crites, Vice Admiral Kilby, Lieutenant General
    Nahom, I want to thank you all for being here today.
        This subcommittee typically holds hearings with the senior
    leadership of the military services to learn about the budget
    requests for the upcoming fiscal year and the general posture
    of each department. Our topical hearings are reserved for those
    cross-cutting issues that have significant financial impacts,
    there are a lot of policy issues wrapped up in divesting force
    structure, but when the supporting arguments hold up budgetary
    decisions as a reason to make these moves, we need to fully
    understand what you were trying to accomplish.
        The military, as a whole, is divesting from $2.8 billion in
    legacy systems in fiscal year 2022 budget request, and that
    dollar amount is split right down the middle between the Navy
    and the Air Force. On the surface it makes sense to divest
    systems and platforms that do not adequately meet current
    military needs and that demand more resources than they are
    worth.
        Unfortunately, it is difficult to fit all the puzzle pieces
    together in terms of what constitutes a legacy weapon, what new
    technologies are ready to field, and how best to divest our
    defense budgets. I called this hearing to start putting that
    puzzle together.
        Next week, this subcommittee will hold a classified
    briefing on the technologies needed to counter China and
    Russia, to gain a full picture of what is at stake. I am eager
    to work with you to find the right balance between divesting
    force structure and investing in the future.
        Once again, I want to thank the witnesses for their
    testimony today, and look forward to hearing from them.
        With that, I will turn it over to you, Senator Shelby.

                     STATEMENT OF SENATOR RICHARD C. SHELBY

        Senator Shelby. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I also want to
    welcome our witnesses today.
        I look forward to hearing about the Navy and Air Force
    plans for this divestment of weapon systems in 2022, and how
    those plans better position our forces to deter, and if
    necessary, win in the near-peer fight.
        The proposal for divestment this year totals $1.37 billion
    for the Air Force, and $1.26 billion for the Navy. The
    Department's stated purpose for the divestments is to retire
    vulnerable systems and programs that no longer meet security
    needs, freeing resources to invest in higher priority items.
    And while there seems a straightforward framework for
    divestment decisionmaking, I would like to better understand
    here how the budget top line impacted these decisions.
        Of the Navy's $1.26 billion 2022 divestment
    recommendations, $930 million is from divestment of ships.
    These include cruisers, littoral combat ships, riverine craft,
    and dock landing ships.
        Given the Navy's stated priority of increasing fleet size
    to compete in the Indo-Pacific, I would expect that those
    savings are used to increase shipbuilding and ship operations.
    The fiscal year 2022 budget request only includes a $300
    million increase in ship operations that is accompanied by a
    $700 million decrease in shipbuilding.
        The Air Force, on the other hand, is divesting fighters,
    tankers, logistic aircraft, command and control, and
    intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance platforms. I
    think we can all agree here that some of these aircraft have
    been in service longer than originally envisioned, and many
    would be at a significant risk operating in an anti-access, and
    area-denial environment.
        That said, I want to understand, here at the committee
    level, how the loss of these aircraft will be fully mitigated
    by the introduction of new aircraft, or new systems, by
    increasing the pace of procurement of aircraft currently in
    production. I appreciate the complexity of the decisions the
    Department has to make to balance near-term capabilities and
    future technologies, and maintaining readiness across the force
    structure.
        I believe it is important that we have a better
    understanding of how that has been accomplished in this
    proposal. Additionally, I would like to know what the plan is
    for the items that are divested. A very conservative estimate
    of the initial investment and the procurement of in terms of
    the Air Force would like to divest is $14 billion I understand.
    That is a significant investment that we must be thoughtful
    about here on the committee.
        I raise this issue because this proposal includes
    divestments of naval vessels that entered the Service less than
    5 years ago, with a price tag around $520 million each. It also
    includes unmanned ISR platforms that we just finished
    procuring.
        It is important we understand what you are doing, why you
    are doing it, and how you are doing it.
        Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        Senator Tester. Thank you, Senator Shelby.
        Next, we are going to hear from two folks. We are going to
    hear from Vice Admiral Kilby, and then we are going to hear
    from Lieutenant General Nahom.
        We will start with you Admiral Kilby.
    STATEMENT OF VICE ADMIRAL JAMES KILBY, DEPUTY CHIEF OF
                NAVAL OPERATIONS FOR WARFIGHTING
                REQUIREMENTS AND CAPABILITIES
        Admiral Kilby. Thanks, sir. Chairman Tester, Vice Chairman
    Shelby, and distinguished members of the subcommittee, on
    behalf of Vice Admiral Crites and myself, thank you for the
    opportunity to appear before you today to discuss the Navy's
    proposed divestments in the 2022 budget request, we thank the
    subcommittee for your support of the Navy.
        The United States Navy remains the preeminent maritime
    force in the world. With 297 ships, your Navy is underway
    around the world today, and every day, protecting America's
    security, prosperity, values and interests across the globe.
        Our goal is to prevent conflict, but should deterrence
    fail, we are ready to answer the call to fight and to win. Our
    maritime advantage is being challenged by adversaries that are
    becoming more capable and more aggressive. The Navy and the
    Nation must maintain a clear-eyed resolve to compete, deter,
    and if necessary, defeat our rivals.
        Our actions now shape the maritime balance of power and we
    continue to develop and evolve a more lethal force to deliver
    all-domain Navy power and maintain our advantage at sea. Naval
    power is not simply a function of the number of ships, it also
    requires the right balance of readiness, modernization, and
    training.
        The Navy's 2022 budget balances investments across
    readiness, capabilities, capacity, and taking care of our
    people to maximize our contributions to the Joint Force within
    the limits of available resources.
        Our budget decisions are underpinned by campaign analysis,
    and warfighting analytics, and informed by aggressive reform
    efforts to align every dollar to provide maximum warfighting
    impact. In short, our budget funds what we need most in an era
    of strategic competition.
        However, the Navy is also dealing with a flat budget top
    line that has not kept pace with inflation, and the force is
    growing in size. As the subcommittee knows, these factors
    pressurized the budget and force difficult funding decisions
    based on warfighting priorities to deliver the right mix of
    capabilities the Nation needs most.
        That means divesting of platforms that are less capable,
    less effective, and less relevant in the current and future
    strategic environments, so that we can modernize and sustain
    the readiness and wholeness of our current fleet, it also means
    stopping or slowing procurement of existing platforms in order
    to develop the next-generation capabilities necessary to keep
    pace with our adversaries.
        I want to be very clear here. I am not saying the platforms
    proposed for divestment are unimportant, or provide no value,
    but we have to ensure that we focus on our efforts on
    delivering the best, most ready, and most capable Navy we can.
        That is what the 2022 budget represents. It makes hard
    choices, choices we believe are necessary to maximize naval
    power, and deliver the highest war-fighting return on
    investment with acceptable risk.
        I urge the subcommittee and Congress to consider the Navy's
    2022 budget in this light. Within the resources available, how
    relevant each asset is, and in the future fight of how much
    additional investment is required to keep the assets we are
    divesting of relevant.
        Again, we must be clear-eyed about are the investments
    needed to compete, deter, and win in the future fight and the
    urgency to accelerate those capabilities.
        Thank you for the opportunity to discuss the Navy's 2022
    budget with you today. And we look forward to working closely
    with you and your staffs to ensure we will continue to field
    the most capable and relevant Naval Force to meet our Nation's
    strategic objectives.
        [The statement follows:]
             Prepared Statement of Vice Admiral James W. Kilby and
                          Vice Admiral Randy B. Crites
        Chairman Tester, Vice Chairman Shelby, distinguished members of the
    Subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to testify today on the
    Navy's proposed divestments in the fiscal year (FY) 2022 President's
    Budget (PB-22). We thank Congress and the Subcommittee for your support
    in maintaining a Navy that is both lethal and ready to deploy globally
    in defense of U.S. national interests.
        In an interconnected and interdependent world, a dominant naval
    force and a strong maritime strategy are critical to the security of
    our Nation. The global security environment is increasingly influenced
    by our competitors, requiring the Navy to provide credible combat power
    forward to ensure a ready response to global crises and disasters. Even
    as the world focused on dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic last year,
    your Navy continued to deploy to hot spots around the globe where U.S.
    interests are challenged, executing eight major Carrier and
    Expeditionary Strike Group deployments, amassing close to 700,000
    flight hours and over 23,000 total steaming days. This builds on two
    decades of Navy forces deploying at our highest operational tempo since
    World War II, in a conflict that has lasted five times longer.
        As our national security posture evolves to confront new
    challenges, the Navy continues to invest in key naval capabilities to
    maximize our naval power contribution to the Joint Force. PB-22
    advances critical Navy priorities to defend the nation, innovate and
    modernize the force, increase resilience and readiness, and take care
    of our Sailors, civilians, and families. For example, PB-22 supports
    the sustainment of our readiness recovery to deliver credible ready
    forces now by accelerating the Navy's Shipyard Infrastructure
    Optimization Program (SIOP), and fully funds two submarine overhauls in
    private shipyards. PB-22 aggressively pursues increased lethality and
    modernization of capabilities with the greatest potential to deliver
    non-linear warfighting advantages through significant research and
    development investments in distributed and networked effects to
    establish and sustain sea control, and future platforms and
    experimentation with unmanned systems on the sea, under the sea, and in
    the air. PB-22 continues key investments in advanced technologies and
    modernization by prioritizing the recapitalization of the strategic
    ballistic missile submarine, the Columbia class, which remains the
    Navy's highest acquisition priority. And importantly, PB-22 supports
    our people and the quality of their life by providing a 2.7 percent pay
    raise in FY 2022, increasing investments in mental health and sexual
    assault prevention and response programs, and developing talent through
    training programs including Ready Relevant Learning, Live Virtual
    Constructive, and the Naval Community College.
        Aligned with the Interim National Security Strategic Guidance, the
    Tri-Service Maritime Strategy, and within the limits of available
    resources, the Navy's PB-22 budget represents the best balance and
    right mix of strategic investments in our Sailors, readiness,
    capability, and capacity. Our budget decisions are underpinned by
    campaign analysis and warfighting analytics, and informed by aggressive
    reform efforts to align every dollar to provide maximum warfighting
    impact. As we balanced the urgent readiness and modernization needs of
    our force today with investments in the future force, we also had to
    make difficult funding decisions to divest of less capable platforms
    and systems, freeing resources to invest in a future force that can
    deliver greater efficiency and effectiveness. These divestment
    decisions were rigorously reviewed, analyzed, and debated to ensure we
    retain the capabilities needed to be ready to fight tonight, while
    investing smartly for the future. At a high level, this analysis can be
    summarized by examining the fiscal context and warfighting value
    associated with divestments.
        Fiscal Context. In constant, non-inflated dollars, the Navy's (as a
    Service) total funding level (or budget topline) has remained
    relatively flat since 2010. When inflation is factored in, the result
    is an overall loss of buying power. Our budget topline today is roughly
    the same as it was in 2010, despite a growth in the fleet size from 288
    ships in 2010 to 297 ships today. In actual dollars, PB-22 reflects a
    0.6 percent increase in Navy funding over the FY 2021 enacted
    appropriations level.
        The Navy and Department of the Navy (DON) has been able to offset
    some of this lost buying power through a series of reform efforts going
    back to 2012. From PB-12 to PB-22, the Department has executed or
    programmed savings of over $150 billion from reform and efficiency
    initiatives. These reforms involved business process improvements and
    efficiencies, but also divesting of less capable platforms, mission
    sets, or capabilities; reduced procurement; and changes in active and
    reserve component mix. While more efficient, the Department is now also
    very lean with little margin to address fact-of-life changes, such as
    increasing material and labor costs that exceed inflation or pandemic
    response. Going forward, with very few programs that have not already
    been heavily scrutinized, reform and efficiencies are unlikely to
    produce substantial savings. As identified in several recent
    Congressional Budget Office publications, the pressure on all Navy
    accounts will continue, with costs increasing at rates higher than
    projected inflation rates.
        The ability to self-finance growth in the size of the force is also
    limited by strategic priorities and accounts that Navy considers non-
    discretionary. We must pay our people and sustain our current force--we
    will never field a hollow force. We must keep the Columbia class
    program--a once-in-a-generation recapitalization program--on track for
    lead ship delivery in 2027 in order to meet U.S. Strategic Command's
    requirement for Columbia ballistic missile submarines to be on patrol
    by 2030. And now we are faced with a once-in-a-century investment to
    recapitalize and modernize our public shipyards. These must-fund
    priorities limit our ability to recover readiness, modernize the force,
    address shortfalls, and invest in new technologies to pace strategic
    threats.
        Finally, unstable and unpredictable budgets encumber the Navy's
    ability to maximize use of every dollar. Continuing resolutions drive
    inefficiency, uncertainty, and delays in execution that become
    increasingly difficult to recover from in the years to follow. This
    impacts everything from acquisition new starts to ship maintenance
    planning to permanent change of station funding for Sailors and their
    families.
        Warfighting Value. Continuing to purchase and/or sustain older,
    less capable or obsolete equipment takes defense dollars away from the
    acquisition of systems that are needed for modernization or sustainment
    of higher value systems. Our competitors--especially China--continue to
    advance their capabilities. We must outpace those advances to remain a
    credible deterrent to conflict around the world. This requires us to
    maintain and improve this advantage on land, at sea, in the air, and in
    emerging domains, including space and cyberspace. We must divest select
    less capable platforms to ensure that every defense dollar is spent on
    programs and equipment that will be relevant in the next fight. PB-22
    proposes cuts to systems and capabilities that no longer meet the
    challenges and requirements of the defense strategy, making room for
    more advanced programs that maximize naval capability and lethality
    aligned with the Interim National Security Strategic Guidance.
                       navy's pb-22 proposed divestments
        The FY 2022 President's Budget includes a total of $1.3 billion in
    cost savings across the Department of the Navy from proposed
    divestments in FY 2022. This includes retiring less capable platforms,
    reducing costs, and realigning funds to source higher priority efforts
    to field the strongest balance of capabilities. The major Navy
    divestments include:
        Decommission Two Guided Missile Cruisers (CG 66 and CG 68). Today,
    the average cruiser age is 32 years, with four ships already beyond
    their 35 year service live expectancy. The Navy plans to divest two
    non-modernized cruisers in FY 2022, in addition to the five previously
    programmed for FY 2022 decommissioning in the FY 2020 and FY 2021
    President's Budgets. Decommissioning these two non-modernized ships
    enables reallocation of funds to achieve program wholeness for the
    modernization of the remaining five CGs in the cruiser modernization
    program (CG 63, 64, 65, 69, and 71). Due to ongoing execution
    challenges, discovered growth work, and underestimation of risk in
    system reactivation, cruiser modernization costs have grown by 90 to
    200 percent above their initial programmed estimates. These five ships
    provide sufficient capacity to sustain air and missile defense
    commander (AMDC) coverage as DDG Flight III ships begin to deliver in
    FY23 with more capable advanced radars.
        Retaining CG 66 and CG 68 would require approximately $1.5 billion
    to execute the required maintenance and modernize the ships, and CG 66
    would likely return to operational status ``late to need'' after the
    low-point inventory of AMDC-capable ships. A decision to retain these
    two ships would provide, at most, 12 years of remaining service life
    each, assuming a 45-year expected service life, and realistically four
    remaining deployments total. This equates to $400M per deployment when
    adding the cost of modernization to the operations and sustainment
    costs for their remaining service lives--a low return on investment.
        The five cruisers previously planned for decommissioning in FY 2022
    are either at the end of their service life (CG 56 and 57) or are less-
    capable ships with only basic ballistic missile defense capability (CG
    61, 72, and 73). The cost of maintaining aging cruisers with
    substantial degradations in material condition, including tank top
    cracking, aluminum superstructure stress cracks, and increasingly
    obsolete systems is prohibitive. Less-capable cruisers are being
    divested to fund more capable Air Defense Commander (ADC) ships. DDG
    Flight III ships and selective service life extensions of ADC cruisers
    will provide the ADC capability needed in the future. The inventory of
    vertical launching system (VLS) cells was considered in the divestment
    decision. VLS cells in aging cruisers that cannot get to the fight due
    to persistent material challenges add no warfighting value or
    capability. It is more important to have fully ready, materially sound,
    sustainable platforms equipped with and able to employ our most capable
    offensive and defensive weapons.
        Decommission One Dock Landing Ship (LSD 41). PB-22 continues the
    divestment of dock landing ships consistent with the Commandant's
    Planning Guidance and Force Design 2030 to divest of aging, least
    capable force structure in order to reallocate funding towards
    improving the Navy's lethality. The aging LSD ships continue to have
    challenges with overall maintenance health and there is diminishing
    return on investment for sustaining their increasingly obsolete
    systems. PB-22 includes the decommissioning of LSD 41 in FY 2022. LSD
    41 is currently 36 years old. This divestment avoids the cost of an
    extensive 21-month CNO maintenance availability in FY 2022, three years
    before the end of expected service life at 40 years.
        LPD Flight II is the functional replacement for LSD ships and
    begins to deliver in FY 2025. LPD Flight II integrates a more capable
    combat system, radar, and communications system and will be CMV-22
    capable. Navy is committed to delivering the most capable multi-mission
    amphibious warships, partnering closely with the Marine Corps and our
    critical industrial base. Amphibious warships, including the LPD Flight
    II and the future Light Amphibious Warship, remain a key component of
    the Nation's global forward presence, playing a pivotal role in
    responding to world crises and supporting a broad range of missions
    across the spectrum of conflict.
        Decommission Four Littoral Combat Ships (LCS 3, 4, 7, and 9). The
    FY 2021 President's Budget proposed decommissioning of the first four
    LCS ships (LCS 1-4) because they are dedicated test ships with unique
    systems and are not configured like the other LCS ships. The initial
    two test ships will decommission in FY 2021 and PB-22 re-proposes to
    decommission the third and fourth test ships once all testing is
    complete in FY 2022. Decommissioning LCS 3 and LCS 4 avoids the
    significant cost to upgrade these test ships to the common LCS
    configurations, including structural, cooling, and hull, mechanical,
    and electrical (HM&E) upgrades. It also avoids the additional cost of
    procuring a mission package for these ships, which are not included in
    the current mission package procurement plan. Continued fleet
    operations would require purchasing a mission package for each ship.
        Decommissioning LCS 7 and LCS 9 is a difficult funding decision
    that allows the Navy to free resources needed to invest in higher
    priorities. They were selected because their decommissioning presents
    less impact to the Fleet employment and force management because these
    ships are not scheduled to deploy in the near-term. In addition, both
    ships do not have lethality and survivability upgrades or Naval Strike
    Missile installations planned within the next two years and both
    require combining gear repairs.
        Divesting these four LCS ships results in cost savings and
    significant cost avoidance to enable investments in higher priority
    capability and capacity to prevail in future conflicts. Strategic
    competition and the on-going focus on the Indo-Pacific region requires
    a more capable small surface combatant for operations in contested
    environments. The remaining LCS ships, with lethality and survivability
    upgrades and the Naval Strike Missile, along with the FFG 62
    Constellation class will provide the improved capability to support the
    full range of military operations as part of a more lethal Joint Force.
        Divest 12 Mark VI Patrol Boats from Coastal Riverine Squadrons.
    Consistent with the divestment decisions above, investing in more
    capable assets is necessary to prevail in strategic competition and
    meet the demands of the defense strategy. In developing the PB-22
    budget, the Navy analyzed the MK VI Patrol Boat's ability to compete
    against a near-peer adversary and determined that the savings from
    divesting MK VI would be better invested in higher priority platforms
    better suited for strategic competition. The MK VI requirement
    originated from a November 2007 Commander, U.S. Fifth Fleet Urgent
    Operational Needs Statement for a visit, board, search, and seizure
    overwatch platform in the littorals. This mission is decreasingly
    relevant in the current and future threat environments, and the other
    MK VI missions can be conducted by existing Navy surface combatants and
    U.S. Coast Guard patrol boats.
        The final deployment for the affected coastal riverine companies is
    scheduled to be complete by approximately the end of 2021. MK VI
    divestment provides cost savings from operations and maintenance
    funding and manpower reductions. Navy continues to assess options for
    final disposition, including potential transition to another service or
    another U.S. government agency, nomination for Foreign Military Sales
    (FMS), or placement into long-term storage. The Navy International
    Programs Office has had at least one inquiry from a nation showing
    interest in the Navy's MK VI patrol boats and in January 2021, the
    Department of Defense announced that Ukraine is procuring two new MK VI
    patrol boats, with a potential total sale up to 16 craft, through an
    FMS case.
        Accelerate Divestment of Navy F/A-18A-D Hornets. The FY 2019
    President's Budget included a phased divestment of Navy F/A-18A-D
    legacy Hornets, planned for completion by FY 2024. PB-22 accelerates
    this divestment plan to complete in FY 2022, in conjunction with the
    completion of the Navy Reserve's transition from F/A-18A-D to F/A-18E/F
    from the Navy Active Component, and F-16C/D from the U.S. Air Force and
    Air National Guard by the end of FY 2022.
        Navy will divest 45 Hornets in FY 2022. This divestment reduces
    long-term support costs for these older Type/Model/Series, while
    retaining adversary capacity with F-16s and Block I Super Hornets, and
    Naval Aviation Warfighting Development Center testing capability using
    Block I Super Hornets.
        Accelerate Divestment of Broad Area Maritime Surveillance
    Demonstrator (BAMS-D). The FY 2021 President's Budget originally
    scheduled BAMS-D divestment in FY 2023.
        BAMS-D has limited capability to perform maritime and littoral
    intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR). PB-22 accelerates
    divestment of BAMS-D to FY 2022 in order to harvest cost savings sooner
    and reinvest in higher priority capabilities and capacity. BAMS-D is
    not a program of record and was intended to be a demonstration
    prototype for MQ-4C Triton, which will provide greater capabilities.
    Maritime ISR missions will be conducted by P-8A Poseidon, MQ-4C Triton,
    and EP-3E operations, which were extended by one year to FY 2024 in
    compliance with the FY 2011 National Defense Authorization Act.
                                   conclusion
        Thank you for the strong support this Subcommittee continues to
    provide our Navy. The Navy takes seriously our duty to be good stewards
    of taxpayer dollars by assessing and recommending the hard decisions
    necessary to deliver the highest warfighting return on investment and
    maximize naval power within limited resources. This requires a multi-
    pronged effort to improve affordability, increase efficiency through
    reform, and divest of systems that are decreasingly relevant to the
    strategic environment or no longer operationally effective in executing
    their missions. We ask for Congress' support of the critical balance
    between readiness, capability, capacity and taking care of our people
    as reflected in the FY 2022 President's Budget.

        Senator Tester. Thank you, Admiral. Next, we have General
    Nahom.
        General.
    STATEMENT OF LIEUTENANT GENERAL DAVID S. NAHOM, DEPUTY
                CHIEF OF STAFF FOR PLANS AND PROGRAMS, U.S.
                AIR FORCE
        General Nahom. Chairman Tester, Ranking Member Shelby, and
    distinguished members of the committee, thank you for the
    opportunity to testify on the Air Force divestitures and the
    readiness implications. Additionally, thank you for your
    continued leadership and dedication to the 689,000 Total Force
    Airmen serving around the world today.
        The American homeland is no longer sanctuary. Our citizens
    face threats from a variety of actors, and our competitors
    continue aggressive efforts to negate our longstanding war-
    fighting advantages.
        China's actions show a sense of urgency. They see a future
    that is very different from the one that we would want to see,
    and they are taking actions to realize that future. Their
    efforts include a massive buildup of military power, and a
    clear intent to use that military to gain leverage on us, and
    our allies, and partners, is becoming ever more critical that
    we recognize the need to change and modernize.
        Through the 2022 President's budget, the Department and the
    Air Force seeks to continue investment in technology that is
    both lethal in survival against a peer threat. This ultimately
    means divestment of some portions of the legacy platforms in
    order to free up personnel and resources in order to fill more
    capable systems to address emerging threats. As we look to
    transition away from older, less capable aircraft and
    appropriately managed fleet sizes, some legacy capabilities we
    will see shifts in investments.
        The Air Force fleet is currently 29 years old in fleet
    average, the oldest air fleet of any service, we must recognize
    and continue to invest in new platforms and weapon systems to
    ensure the Nation has the right mix of cutting-edge technology
    needed to remain competitive and stay ahead of our adversaries.
    Keeping aircraft identified for retirement means funds intended
    for investment in newer aircraft and capabilities will now be
    used to fund older, less capable aircraft.
        We must transition away from capabilities of today to
    capabilities required for tomorrow, new capabilities that can
    operate and survive in both high-end and low-end conflict.
    Failure to recognize the need to modernize has long-standing
    implications, and injects risks in the lethality of our force.
        Keeping aircraft we weren't planning to retain also
    requires manpower, a highly valuable resource we cannot afford
    to waste. If we are unable to retire legacy aircraft, we
    exasperate an already stressed manpower situation, and risk not
    having the manpower necessary to transition to, operate and
    maintain new aircraft such as the F-35 and KC-46.
        Weapon System Sustainment, or WSS, costs are another clear
    indicator the Air Forces need to modernize. Even with a 15
    percent decrease in total aircraft inventory our sustainment
    costs have increased 130 percent in the last 20 years.
    Additional legacy aircraft break one-third more often, and take
    10 percent longer to fix than they did just 2 decades ago.
        This drives an increased maintenance workload, adding aging
    aircraft back into the maintenance cycle means something else
    will likely not get done on aircraft that we actually need for
    peer competition.
        In fiscal year 2022, we are asking the Congress to allow us
    to better manage our fleet. We cannot be prepared for high-end
    fight without trade-offs now. While painful, it is better to
    accept risk today when we have the ability compared to the
    future, when we may not have that luxury. Through that lens,
    and from our perspective, these divestures are less about what
    we lose more about what we gain.
        Again, thank you for your support, and with your help, we
    remain committed to making thoughtful divestiture decisions. I
    look forward to your questions.
        [The statement follows:]
            Prepared Statement of Lieutenant General David S. Nahom
        Chairman Tester, Ranking Member Shelby, and distinguished members
    of this committee, on behalf of Acting Secretary of the Air Force, the
    Honorable John P. Roth, and the Chief of Staff of the Air Force,
    General Charles Q. Brown, Jr., thank you for the opportunity to testify
    for the Air Force.
        Your Air Force remains committed to making the hard choices
    required to balance the need to preserve near-term readiness for
    today's missions with the imperative to also build the long-term
    readiness essential to prevail in strategic competition with China or
    any other nation.
        National security is evolving. The clear and ever-present danger of
    previous generations has become far more opaque and complex. Our
    success in the strategic battlespace is dependent on the relevancy of
    our capabilities and the Airmen who wield those resources.
        Strategic competition utilizes both long-term strategy and short-
    term improvisation. Our nation's military potency relies on developing
    our airpower inventory toward platforms, equipment, and capabilities
    that will be relevant in peer competition in 2030 and beyond. To
    achieve this, we must shed capabilities that are too old, irrelevant in
    the future dynamic environment, or are unsustainable.
        We look forward to collaborating closely with this committee to
    explore and evaluate all divestiture options regarding the A-10, F-15C/
    D, F-16C/D, E-8, MQ-9 Combat Lines, RQ-4, C-130H and our tanker
    transition plan that best help us to deliver on our promise to ``Fly,
    fight, and win...airpower anytime, anywhere.''
                        current capacity and capability
        Current Air Force aircraft are becoming significantly more
    expensive to sustain as they age, and our fleet is the oldest in the
    Department of Defense. The average age of the Air Force fleet is 29
    years, while the U.S. Navy is 14 years and the U.S. Army is 15 years.
    In comparison to our allies, the average age of the Royal Australian
    Air Force (RAAF) is 9 years and the Royal Air Force (United Kingdom) is
    16 years. Weapons System Sustainment (WSS) costs have increased 130
    percent over the last 20 years, even with a 15 percent decrease in
    total aircraft inventory (TAI). We need new platforms and weapons to
    replace a legacy force, but also must invest in cutting-edge technology
    needed to confront and pace peer competitors.
                               the fighter fleet
        Our planned fighter portfolio, relevant in 2030 and beyond,
    requires deliberate development, acquisition, training, modernization,
    and sustainment of aircraft that meet the demands of future conflicts.
    As part of our proposed fighter force structure change, the Air Force
    must transition its fighter fleet from seven platforms (F-35, F-22, F-
    16, F-15EX, F-15E, F-15C, and A-10) to four platforms (NGAD, F-35, F-
    15EX, and F-16) plus the A-10 in the near/mid-term. To attain the
    desired fighter fleet, the Air Force must right-size current aircraft
    inventories to expedite the transition away from less capable, aging
    aircraft and emphasize investment in future capabilities such as Next
    Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) and F-35 modernization. The desired Air
    Force fighter fleet should match the capability and capacity of both
    platforms and weapons to maximize lethality.
                                a-10 thunderbolt
        The A-10 Thunderbolt has proven to be one of the most durable and
    capable close air support aircraft in the Air Force inventory since its
    introduction in 1977. The Air Force believes its analysis supports
    reducing 42 A-10 aircraft from the current 281 to 239 in Fiscal Year
    2022 (FY22) and plans to reach an end-state of 218 by FY23. This
    reduction will appropriately size the fleet for cost-effectiveness
    while simultaneously providing the capability to counter violent
    extremist organizations and addressing lower-end fights into the 2030s.
        A reduction of A-10 aircraft in FY22 will reset the fleet from nine
    to seven combat squadrons. A 218 aircraft fleet allows Attack Squadrons
    to maintain a minimum of 18 Primary Mission Aircraft Inventory,
    guaranteeing one squadron is always available to support combatant
    commander requirements for close air support and combat search and
    rescue.
        As we reduce the fleet to 218, by 42 in FY22 and an additional 21
    in FY23, we will continue to re-wing and modernize the remaining A-10s.
    Re-winging is the A-10's most significant modernization program and we
    have purchased wings to outfit a fleet of 218 aircraft. In FY22, we
    will continue executing FY21 funding to begin installs and support
    engineering change orders, and other government costs that are
    typically required to execute major modification efforts of this
    nature.
        Failure to right-size the A-10 fleet has considerable consequences.
    Maintaining current fleet numbers will result in a significant buyback
    cost to the Air Force to upgrade and sustain A-10s that are not needed
    to meet future requirements, ultimately impacting the Air Force's
    ability to purchase aircraft that will win a high-end fight.
        The human capital toll is also significant. Between FY21-22 a total
    of 91 F-35s will deliver. Failure to right-size the A-10 fleet means
    hundreds of maintenance personnel will not be available to resource
    platforms such as the F-35. While adding funds could solve the
    personnel deficit, new recruits require training with a lead time of at
    least a year (post recruitment), and the most critical billets of
    experienced maintainers requires years to create and cannot be
    purchased. Ultimately, relief is required from legislation that
    currently prevents retirement of any A-10s. A right-sized A-10 fleet
    provides the capability, capacity, and affordability to achieve
    National Defense Strategy objectives and meet air superiority and
    global strike needs for the Joint Force.
                                 f-15c/d eagle
        The F-15C/D supports both Homeland Defense and the air superiority
    mission. Our F-15C fleet is aging, with two-thirds of the fleet past
    its designed service life. The 234 F-15C/Ds in the Air Force inventory
    will reach the end of their design service life in the next six to
    eight years, and our analysis shows additional service life extension
    programs are not cost effective.
        The FY22 President's budget request divests 48 F-15C/Ds from the
    active fleet (234 aircraft to 186 aircraft), which includes the
    reduction of the F-15C/D squadron at Royal Air Force Lakenheath.
        We have already started to replace this fleet with a modernized
    successor by purchasing the F-15EX. The F-15EX ``Eagle II'' will
    provide superior sensor, range, and payload for Critical Infrastructure
    Defense. The transition from a seven-fighter force structure to a four-
    fighter construct enables the Air Force to focus efforts on
    capabilities relevant in the future spectrum of conflict. As the F-15C/
    D fleet is reduced, increases in F-15EXs and F-35s will ensure no
    degradation in capabilities.
                            f-16 c/d fighting falcon
        The F-16 is the Air Force's primary multi-role fighter and
    Suppression of Enemy Air Defense aircraft. Our more than 600 late block
    F-16s will provide affordable capacity for the next 15 or more years,
    in both competition and more permissive combat environments.
        The Air Force's current fleet consists of 936 F-16s with 325 Pre-
    Block and 611 Post-Block aircraft. Starting in FY22, due to rising
    costs in sustainment, the Air Force begins a phased approach to a F-16
    fleet Pre-Block reduction, decreasing the fleet by 47 F-16s (936
    aircraft to 889 aircraft). In FY22, we will continue to modernize the
    Post-Block F-16s we keep as our ``affordable capacity'' fighter into
    the 2040s. The F-16 investment strategy funds modifications for the
    most capable, late block aircraft to ensure they can operate and
    survive in today's threat environment.
        The F-16 Pre-Block fleet is not lethal nor survivable enough to
    survive against near-peer air defense systems and threats. In order to
    facilitate these capability improvements, we must divest legacy F-16
    Pre-Block force structure and continue investment in needed National
    Defense Strategy capabilities that will win a high-end fight.
                                   e-8 jstars
        The highly contested environment of the future will require
    sophisticated command and control to facilitate battlespace management
    and highly agile sensing grid capabilities. To stay ahead of emerging
    threats, we must accelerate intelligence, surveillance, and
    reconnaissance (ISR) modernization. The Air Force will improve ISR
    capabilities by developing, producing, and fielding a family of
    interconnected and multi-role crewed and uncrewed systems. This
    investment pivot requires the Air Force to divest the E-8 Joint
    Surveillance and Target Attack Radar System (JSTARS), which cannot
    survive in a highly contested environment. We must fund emerging ISR
    capabilities that can collect in the most complex and dynamic areas.
        In FY22, the Air Force seeks to retire 4 JSTARS aircraft to (16
    aircraft to 12 aircraft). JSTARS does not support any ISR 2030 future
    force requirement, nor does it support any near-peer engagement. It is
    operationally imperative that, as JSTARS aircraft are retired,
    personnel shift to assist in other, critically understaffed, areas in
    support of newly emerging missions.
        Currently, the Air Force is seeking relief from congressional
    language that prevents immediate retirement of any E-8 JSTARS aircraft,
    or language that hinders retirement. As required, the Air Force is
    currently in the process of coordinating the required certification
    through the Secretary of Defense (SECDEF) for approval.
                                  mq-9 reaper
        The MQ-9 Reaper has proven extremely valuable as an uncrewed
    aircraft operating in permissive environments where link access is
    unencumbered, and air defense threats are relatively nonexistent. The
    Air Force must focus on real-time domain awareness, enabled by data
    fusion at the edge of the battlespace, secure data transport,
    artificial intelligence, and penetrating collection capabilities.
    Global Integrated Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance
    (GIISR) capabilities must enable and connect to the Advanced Battle
    Management System (ABMS) as part of the Joint All-Domain Command and
    Control (JADC2) construct to remain competitive in the high-end fight.
        Unlike traditional aircraft employment concepts, the MQ-9 presents
    capability through combat- air-patrols (CAPs) rather than aircraft
    number. In the FY22 PB, the Air Force seeks to reduce MQ-9 Government-
    Owned Government Operated (GOGO) combat lines by 4 (60 combat lines to
    56 combat lines). This reduction of combat lines does not equate to
    reduction in aircraft inventory; no tails will be divested.
        The FY22 PB funds existing technology maturation and modernization
    activities that keep the platform operational and relevant until full-
    scale divestments begin (planned around FY30). This funding
    demonstrates the Air Force's commitment to the MQ-9 and the platforms
    support to the Counter-Violent Extremist Organization mission. However,
    we must also focus on right- sizing the fleet to enable investments to
    modernize ISR for the highly contested conflicts of the future.
    Reduction of combat lines also allows the Air Force to redirect funding
    towards the completion of studies, analysis, and concept exploration to
    determine an armed ISR follow-on effort to support the 2030 Force
    Design.
        Significant risks exist without proper divestment of MQ-9 assets.
    Funding and personnel must support capabilities to win the future high-
    end conflicts that require accelerated investment. If the Air Force
    does not modify the MQ-9 force presentation and is required to keep 60
    combat lines, it will become more vulnerable and increasingly
    irrelevant even in low-end conflicts.
        The Air Force requests no restrictive language preventing further
    reduction of MQ-9 combat lines and no additional funding for MQ-9
    procurement in FY22.
                                rq-4 global hawk
        The RQ-4 Global Hawk is a high-altitude, uncrewed, ISR collection
    platform. While the system has exceptional loiter time and operational
    reach, the Air Force is moving toward more survivable capabilities that
    fulfill National Defense Strategy requirements. The Air Force's ability
    to win future high-end conflicts requires accelerating investment and
    accepting short-term risks by divesting legacy ISR assets that offer
    limited capability against peer and near-peer threats. Retiring RQ-4
    Block 30s allows the Air Force to field advanced technology while
    bringing the ISR enterprise into the digital age using modernized
    sensing grid technologies. The Air Force intends to retire the RQ-4
    Block 30 fleet to invest in advanced penetrating ISR platforms, which
    will enable the Joint Force to compete and win against a peer
    competitor in the high-end fight.
        The Air Force currently possesses 20 RQ-4 Block 30 aircraft and 10
    Block 40 in the inventory. The FY22 PB proposes retirement of the
    entire Block 30 fleet due to its inability to operate in highly
    contested environments.
        In FY21, the Air Force proposed divestment of the RQ-4 Block 30s;
    however, Congress non- concurred. Current law requires the Air Force to
    maintain an RQ-4 fleet until the service can prove the replacement
    costs are less than RQ-4 sustainment and Joint Reconnaissance
    Operations Center certifies the capability is greater than RQ-4 for
    combatant commanders. However, the SECDEF waiver option states that
    SECDEF can request a waiver if replacement capability is believed to be
    worth the higher cost.
        In the FY22 PB, the Air Force is once again proposing divestment of
    the RQ-4 Block 30 fleet (20 aircraft) along with the SECDEF approved
    waiver allowing the divestment. We must look to the future and continue
    the transition towards a family of interconnected and multi-role
    systems and sensors for the highly-contested environment that are
    digitally engineered to increase data processing speed, mission
    effectiveness, interoperability, survivability, and penetration at a
    reduced cost.
                       tankers (kc-10, kc-135, and kc-46)
        To maintain our edge in Rapid Global Mobility for the future fight,
    Air Force must right-size the KC-10 and KC-135 fleets, while continuing
    to invest in the KC-46. This transition plan requires shedding legacy
    aircraft and repurposing airmen as KC-46s are delivered. As we move to
    field the KC-46, Congressional language is restricting retirement of
    legacy tankers.
        The current National Defense Strategy mandates that the Air Force
    maintain 479 tanker aircraft in its fleet. To achieve the future fleet,
    the Air Force needs to retire the KC-10 and KC-135 on a one-for-one
    basis with the KC-46A. Current models and simulations indicate that the
    Air Force plan to recapitalize aging KC-135 and KC-10s with KC-46As and
    non-developmental follow-on will meet the 2030+ anticipated aerial
    refueling demand.
        In FY22, the Air Force plans to divest 14 KC-10s (50 aircraft to 36
    aircraft), and divest 18 KC-135 (394 aircraft to 376 aircraft).
    Additionally, adding to capacity and capability, the KC-46 fleet will
    increase from the 55 aircraft to 71 (+16 aircraft) in FY22. The
    advanced communication capabilities of the KC-46 will also contribute
    to advanced command and control (ABMS/JADC2) to enable advanced
    targeting and battle management.
        The Air Force requests approval to continue execution of the tanker
    transition plan through right-sizing efforts. This will allow us to
    manage the finite number of aircrews/maintainers and align them with
    KC-46 Formal Training Unit allocations. In order to do this the Air
    Force needs to retire KC-135s and KC-10s. With hundreds of personnel
    tied up in legacy tanker missions, the Air Force will not be able to
    support and maintain an entire squadron of modern KC-46 aircraft. With
    these restrictions in place, units will be forced to maintain two sets
    of aircraft with one set of crews and maintainers. This places a heavy
    burden on our Airmen, and results in two insufficiently crewed fleets.
                                    c-130h/j
        C-130Hs and C-130Js are medium-size transport aircraft capable of
    completing a variety of tactical airlift operations across a broad
    range of missions. The fleet delivers air logistics support for all
    theater forces, including those involved in combat operations. As with
    other weapon systems, the Air Force is taking acceptable risk in the C-
    130 portfolio as it focuses resources toward the future force.
        In an effort to ``Accelerate Change or Lose'' the Air Force is
    focused on modernizing the force at the cost of legacy capabilities to
    ensure our nation is ready to fight and win in the future. We have
    taken a measured amount of acceptable operational risk in force
    structure to appropriately align available resources, inherently
    increasing aircraft readiness rates and allowing for utilization of
    fiscal resources on the remaining aircraft to maintain or further
    improve readiness. Planned right-sizing of the C-130 fleet aims to meet
    current operational needs while simultaneously investing in
    technologies that support and advance our concept of victory.
        In the FY22 PB, the Air Force seeks to continue right-sizing the C-
    130H/J fleet to 255 with a net reduction of 8 C-130 aircraft. The Air
    Force is committed to maintaining all current Air National Guard C-130
    units. If any units do transition out of the C-130, we will ensure
    transition to a mission that supports the future force and has long
    term viability. Any transition will be mutually agreed upon by the Air
    Force, the Air National Guard, and the State.
                                   conclusion
        The Air Force's FY22 budget submission demonstrates our commitment
    to balancing near-term risk with readiness. While all platforms once
    served a purpose, not all will meet the requirements and demands of the
    2030 battlespace. We cannot continue the status quo business model; we
    must make difficult decisions to shed increasingly irrelevant
    capabilities.
        Choosing which technologies we will further develop and take into
    production is the most difficult decision; as this undoubtedly will
    create an offset in some current capability and often incurs some
    unplanned program cost growth. The Air Force must make these tough
    choices and take calculated risk, seeking to reduce potential
    inefficiencies where possible, when determining which capabilities have
    the greatest chance of success against future adversary technologies.
    China and Russia continue to develop and rapidly field increasingly
    advanced designs, eating into and eliminating our technological
    advantages. The Air Force cannot wait to develop advanced systems to
    fight and win in the ever-changing highly contested environment.
        We are committed to making the bold tradeoffs required to answer
    President Biden's call to ``shift our emphasis from unneeded legacy
    platforms and weapons systems [and] free up resources for investments
    in the cutting-edge technologies and capabilities that will determine
    our military and national security advantage in the future,'' and look
    forward to working with this committee to mitigate risks as we do so.
        On behalf of all Airmen, active, guard, reserve, and civilian,
    thank you for your leadership and partnership as we build the ready Air
    Force our Nation needs both today and into the future.

        Senator Tester. Thank you of your testimony, and I
    appreciate it.
        You know, between this hearing and the hearing next week,
    this is going to give you folks the opportunity to talk about
    these retirements. And I can tell you that there is not a
    member on this committee that doesn't get pressure from other
    members that serve in the Senate, to keep some of these
    systems. So this is really your opportunity to make your case.
    And so we appreciate you being here to do exactly that.
        Last year there was a lot of controversy about proposals to
    reduce the C-130 fleet, as well as the Air Force basing plans
    for new airplanes headed to the National Guards. The
    President's proposal--the President's budget request plans to
    divest eight C-130Hs. These planes are only flown by the Air
    Guard units. And that cut is enough to eliminate an entire
    Guard unit.
        This has created some anxiety, as you can imagine, in
    Congress. So here are a few direct questions to help clear up
    what the Air Force is proposing.
        Number one, has the Air Force identified a unit that you
    want to convert to a new mission?
        General Nahom. Sir, thank you for the question. You know,
    the Air Force is seeking to reduce the C-130 overall inventory
    from about 300 aircraft down to 255, and we are taking a very
    measured approach. And for eight aircraft you identify in this
    year's President's budget, we have not yet identified a unit.
    We have some replacement missions we are looking at, and we
    are, we are seeking units that we can come to a mutually
    agreeable replacement mission.
        We are not going to force a unit to change their mission.
    We think some of these future missions we have to offer are
    going to be very attractive, and we want to continue to have
    that discussion and that dialogue with these units.
        Senator Tester. So let me ask you this. Have you narrowed
    it down at all?
        General Nahom. Well, sir, with the--if you look at, going
    from 300 to 255, that 45 airplanes, that is about five units.
        Senator Tester. Yes.
        General Nahom. We have already identified one, and we are
    keeping Martin State and the A-10, and that was actually
    mutually agreeable. And that works out well.
        The second one we are looking at right now is an Air
    Reserve unit down in Alabama that is going to convert to the
    MH-139, our newest helicopter and form a training unit down
    there, again, mutually agreeable.
        The next one we are looking at is a cyber warfare wing. And
    we are looking at a couple of units that could--that this would
    be very--that this would be very well suited.
        Senator Tester. Okay.
        General Nahom. And we are having the conversations now, but
    we have not committed to either unit or that actual mission
    yet, sir.
        Senator Tester. So my next question was going to be, what
    happens if the home state of a unit disagrees with your
    decision. And I assume your answer to that, not to put words in
    your mouth, is that you are hoping that the replacement mission
    will be attractive enough that they would be willing to give up
    those C-130s?
        General Nahom. Yes, sir. We were hoping we can actually
    make some mutually agreeable changes, if not, then we will look
    elsewhere.
        Senator Tester. Okay. If Congress chooses to continue
    investing in the newer, C-130Js, how will the Air Force choose
    to determine where these planes are going to go? And how will
    that affect the long-term strategy for the C-130 fleet?
        General Nahom. Sir, right now we have--if you stipulate
    that we go to 255 at some point, right now we have either
    purchased or ordered 163 C-130Js that are in some form of
    development. That leaves 92 C-130Hs. We also have money to
    upgrade those 92 C-130Hs to the level we need to.
        So with that being said, right now where we sit, we are
    actually sitting pretty good with our C-130 investment, if you
    say we are going to get down to 255. If not, then there would
    be further investment either in modifying some C-130Hs or
    purchasing C-130Js. If we do have C-130Js that are appropriated
    and come to the Air Force, then we will go through our
    strategic basing process to find the most suitable location to
    put those aircrafts.
        Senator Tester. Okay. So this question is for either
    Admiral Crites or General Nahom. Look, savings from legacy
    divestments should enable the departments to improve efficiency
    and redirect money to higher priorities. This all depends on
    the divestment proposals actually delivering on the savings
    that you guys are planning on.
        And so I would tell you that we have been accustomed to
    cost estimates, for new weapons systems being too low. How
    would you respond to critics who might say, the estimates of
    savings of divestments is too high?
        Admiral Crites. Thank you, Senator Tester, for the
    question. So I think for the Navy, in particular, when we look
    at our overall funding that is available for us to apply to the
    different capabilities, the readiness, the items that we need
    to bring in, we do it very carefully, and what we have seen
    over the last, really, 10 or 11 years is essentially a flat
    budget.
        We have not kept pace with inflation. And what you will see
    is, is back in 2010 we had about 288 battle force ships. We
    declined, as we went through sequestration, down to about 271,
    and we built our way out of that up to about 297 today. That
    occurred as a result of a number of reform efforts and
    divestitures that we did inside the Service.
        The challenge that we are facing now is that the good
    ideas, the things that we don't think we need to bring to the
    future fight, we are starting to run out of that. And so we are
    challenged as we see labor costs far exceeding inflation, the
    cost and the complexity of the work that we are trying to do,
    the materials that we are trying to buy, are all outpacing
    inflation, yet we need to balance within the program that we
    have. And so our priorities have not changed.
        Senator Tester. Okay.
        Admiral Crites. The number one priority is to bring in
    Columbia. Number two is to ensure that we have a ready force.
    Number three is to make sure that we are bringing in the
    capabilities that we need. And number four has been capacity
    that we can afford.
        Senator Tester. Just a quick follow-up before I turn it
    over to Senator Shelby. And that is, is that so when you do the
    divestments that is going to save you X-amount of dollars. When
    you replace those divestments with other systems, it is going
    to cost you X-amount of dollars. Is anybody double-checking
    your math?
        Admiral Crites. Certainly. I mean, we have a number of
    different groups and organizations that work cost estimating,
    we work with industry and so forth.
        Senator Tester. Good.
        Admiral Crites. Yes, sir.
        Senator Tester. All right. Thank you.
        Senator Shelby.
        Senator Shelby. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        What metrics did your individual services use to make
    decisions about how and where to reinvest the savings that you
    expect to realize from the divestments that you would like to
    make?
        Who wants to start?
        General Nahom. I will start.
        Senator Shelby. General, go ahead.
        General Nahom. Well, Senator Shelby, thank you for the
    question. Yes, I will tell you where we looked to invest,
    obviously we start with what we need to look like in the future
    to meet the threat. And we have done a lot. We have done
    extensive wargaming on what that fight would look like, and
    when you do that you can start looking at the Air Force, and
    looking at what we have, and the aspects of it, that is not
    going to be part of that fight.
        So we use the strategy and the design we need to get to as
    our first template of where we need to get to. And then you
    look at some of the legacy platforms. Now, some of the
    platforms, and that are--that may be not be part of that future
    fight, we still need in current day operations. So there is
    certainly a tug between what the combatant commanders need
    today, and what are our wargaming and our analysis says we are
    going to need in the future for that future peer threat.
        And we are making those balances every day. And going back
    to a little bit of what Senator Tester said too, is that when a
    new weapon system comes on, very often they are coming on
    slower than we would like. The F-35 is a perfect example. If
    you go back to 2010 when we were making decisions on our
    fighter force, we thought in 2021 we would have almost 1,000 F-
    35s in service, we have about 300. And so therefore we adjust,
    therefore we take some older systems, we upgrade them, we
    service life extend as necessary so we can maintain that
    balance for that current-day operations in that future fight.
        Senator Shelby. Thank you.
        Admiral Kilby. Except for this--can I just add for the
    Navy, sir?
        Senator Shelby. Go ahead, sure. Go ahead, yes.
        Admiral Kilby. We are consistent with the Air Force. I
    would say our POM (Program Objective Memorandum) process
    introduces analysis and valuation where we really look at key
    operational problems against the adversary, but particularly
    China. And we look at their advances from an intel perspective,
    understand what they are doing from a weapons perspective, and
    what we see them doing. And we look at our program and balance
    it against it. And then we have a model-based systems
    engineering approach to look at those investments that we
    think, will either accelerate or match the adversary.
        So there is a de-emphasis on strongly held opinion, and an
    emphasis on the analysis and the wargaming that proves these
    technologies out. So we agree with the Air Force. I think it is
    critical to do that.
        I also agree that these new technologies are hard to
    develop. So really, in my opening statement, I said, it is not
    that the things we are talking about divesting are not
    valuable. They are valuable. They are just less valuable than
    the things we need to invest in to have a capable force.
        Senator Shelby. Well, what you have got to do, I suppose,
    is to analyze your current situation, readiness, with the
    weapon systems of tomorrow, and what our adversaries might do
    or could do, right?
        Admiral Kilby. Yes, sir.
        Senator Shelby. And that is what you are doing, isn't it?
        Admiral Kilby. Yes, sir.
        Senator Shelby. Okay. The Navy has procured 35, from my
    understanding, Littoral Combat Ships, or LCS to date. And now
    that the ships are almost finished, and many have been
    delivered to the fleet, the Navy appears to be less interested
    in them. That said, the Navy has been talking about the need to
    grow the fleet here before, 355 or more ships for years. But
    they shift away from the LCS, it seems to me is a
    contradiction. I don't know.
        What is the Navy's assessment of risk if we enter a
    conflict in the Indo-Pacific region with our current fleet,
    what is the plan to increase the size of the fleet, if you have
    one?
        Admiral Kilby. Sir, thanks, I will start. The fleet size is
    an important metric. We have done significant analysis over the
    last--since 2016 on the fleet size. All those analysis, 2016
    when----
        Senator Shelby. But the size is not the only thing.
        Admiral Kilby. No, no, sir, absolutely.
        Senator Shelby. But it is the quality of what you have got.
        Admiral Kilby. That is right. And I was just talking about,
    size is not the only thing that matters here.
        Senator Shelby. Okay.
        Admiral Kilby. The capabilities that those specific
    platforms bring, matters. For example, the Flight III DDG
    brings in the air and missile defense radar that is key against
    some threats, against China. So in specific comment to the LCS
    discussion, there are four LCSs that are proposed for
    divestment in this budget.
        LCS-3 and 4, which were the initial versions of the class,
    and then 7 and 9 are affordability decisions to drive the
    program where we need to have the most capable Navy we can
    produce for you. 7 and 9 are cost avoidance for combining gear
    repair, lethality upgrade, and a survivability upgrade that
    have not been made on those ships. So really it is looking at
    what we have and how we best position those, our fleet size
    against what we need to do, sir.
        Senator Shelby. Thank you. What will the Services do with
    the equipment that it divests, and what efforts or studies have
    been done to determine if the newer equipment, such as LCS and
    RQ-21 might meet other U.S. defense government or allied
    requirements? Has that been taken into account?
        Admiral Kilby. Yes, sir. Different answers for different
    platforms. The Mark VI is a fairly new platform, just not what
    we view as capable a platform against China. LCS, as you
    indicated, is a new platform, so there might be a future for
    those ships, either foreign military sales or keeping them in
    some kind of reserve capability. The cruisers on the other
    hand, are at the end of their service life. So it would be very
    difficult to come up with a construct where we would be able to
    bring them out and make them relevant in the time we need to in
    the adversary, so I think it is a different answer depending on
    the specific platform, sir.
        Senator Shelby. If you had been given additional resources,
    we are trying to increase the budget, as you well know, we
    think--a lot of us believe that the Defense proposal by the
    administration is too short--too small. But if you had been
    given additional resources, or if you are given additional
    resources, which items currently proposed for divestments would
    you retain because they are relevant to a potential near-peer
    conflict? Assuming you got all money in the budget, because
    this is budget-driven, you know that, to a point.
        General.
        General Nahom. Yes, sir. I will tell you. We have to be
    careful, though, with the resources. Money, additional money
    may be able to allow us to keep an asset. But one of the
    resources we have to be very careful on, is our people, and as
    we divest, and I will go back to the fighter example, you know,
    the same, incredible men and women that are swinging wrenches
    and flying FA-10s and F-16s today are the same incredible men
    and women I need flying F-35s tomorrow.
        And as we continue to take F-35s through the assembly line,
    we have got to divest some, otherwise we run into huge manpower
    problem. So the money is interesting and very important, but
    the people piece is actually where I think is the most
    difficulty when you talk about additional resources, sir.
        Senator Shelby. The one thing you don't want to do is buy
    yesterday's technology and somebody else is moving ahead of
    you, do you?
        General Nahom. That is true, sir. And that is why when you
    look at where we are focused on our platforms, it is absolutely
    an eye on peer competition. And that is why even some of the
    stuff that we are divesting out of, there is a market for,
    building on Admiral Kilby's conversation, like C-130Hs, and
    even MQ-9s, and other things.
        Senator Shelby. Thank you.
        Senator Tester. Senator Boozman.
        Senator Boozman. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And thank you all
    for being here. And we greatly appreciate your service to our
    country.
        Both the department of the Navy and the department of the
    Air Force budget requests look to make significant divestments
    in order to make necessary changes to their force structure.
    This committee must ensure that our military has the weapons
    and the platforms to prevail against the pacing threat of China
    and Russia.
        General Nahom, your testimony clearly paints the picture of
    why the Air Force needs to modernize. While the average age of
    the Navy fleet is 14 years, and the Army fleet is 15 years, the
    Air Force, I believe, is 29 years. One of the Air Force's
    modernization efforts is with the F-15 fighter aircraft. The
    President's budget request divests 48 F-15C and Ds in order to
    procure the modernized successor, F-15EX.
        Why is the divestment of F-15C and Ds to procure F-15EX is
    such an Air Force priority? And how is it in upgrading
    capabilities? Also, how soon would we see F-15EXs operationally
    capable of full-spectrum conflict?
        General Nahom. Senator, thank you so much for the question.
    You know, and the numbers there, the numbers do tell a story.
    Another number that is very important is 44 percent of Air
    Force aircraft are flying right now beyond their initial design
    service life. So we are an aged Air Force and we do need to
    recapitalize.
        The F-15C, I am very familiar with that is the platform
    where I spent most of my time in the Air Force, and it is
    falling apart. There is a number of them sitting at Depot down
    at Warner Robins right now, with additional cracks, looking for
    dispensation, looking for ways to fix those aircrafts. We have
    got to refresh the airplanes.
        The F-15EX is not the F-15C that I grew up on. We are
    benefiting from billions of dollars of Saudi Arabia and Qatari
    investment into that platform to modernize it to a very viable
    platform for future warfare, especially when you look at what
    it can do in critical infrastructure defense, defense of the
    homeland, as well as its ability to shoot and carry outsized
    weapons for modern combat. So we are very excited about it.
        But, for me, I look at it right now as, we have got to get
    these units and these men and women that are doing incredible
    work with these F-15Cs/Ds, and places all over the world,
    whether it is in, RAF Lakenheath, or in Okinawa, Japan, or
    incredible guardsmen sitting alert today in the F-15Cs, when
    these airplanes are flying so far beyond their initial design
    service life. To get them, new aircraft where they can safely
    operate and defend our Nation is a huge priority. And the F-
    15EX is allowing us to modernize a little quicker. We are
    pretty excited about it coming to service.
        Senator Boozman. Very good. General Nahom, our pacing
    adversaries will never stop advancing, and the Air Force has
    made it clear that modernization is critical to achieving a
    future force that is agile, as you just described. Also
    persistent, resilient enough to win in a great power
    competition. Maintaining the status quo, no longer suffice, I
    understand that this--with this comes a need to accept some
    near-term risks.
        General Nahom, what is the Air Force's strategy for
    balancing near-term risk, and cost when considering divestment
    options? And then also, we have talked about, you know, concern
    about divestment and things like that. How does restriction on
    divestment of specific fleets impact the Air Force's ability to
    invest in cutting edge technology in the future?
        General Nahom. Sir, thank you for the question. I tell you.
    When you talk about balancing risk and that is the hardest
    thing we do, and I am sure my Navy counterparts struggle with
    this too. The real conversation is really between the Service,
    in this case the Air Force, and the combatant commands, because
    it is our combatant commanders that are out there fighting the
    current-day conflicts right now.
        And we have to be sure we are getting them what they need
    in current-day operations. But we also have to work with them
    to balance that risk. We have been very successful over the
    last year, working very closely with TRANSCOM balancing that
    tanker risk to find out exactly what we need day to day for our
    air refuelers, but allowing us the resources so we can
    modernize into the KC-46, and the modifications we need to make
    the KC-135. So that balance is very important as we look to the
    future.
        Senator Boozman. Thank you. And thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        Senator Tester. Senator Moran.
        Senator Moran. Chairman, thank you.
        General Nahom, let me pick up where you and Senator Boozman
    were visiting, McConnell Air Force Base, the home of the KC-46,
    and previously the KC, and currently the KC-135s, we take great
    pride in McConnell and its refueling missions around the globe.
    The Kansas Air National Guard is sometimes not thought of in
    that process, but they are refueling, have a refueling mission
    as well. They fly the 135s, and support refueling missions
    around the U.S. and across the world.
        Let me follow up with what Senator Boozman and you were
    talking about. As the Air Force seeks to rebalance the
    divestment of the KC-135s, replacing with the--and fielding the
    46s, what safeguards are in place, in this process of
    transition, to make sure that our mission is being--our
    missions are being fulfilled?
        General Nahom. Thank you for your question, sir. And that
    goes back to that conversation with TRANSCOM, and the other
    combatant commanders, to make sure that we, as an Air Force,
    can give the day-to-day refueling capacity that is needed,
    because it is lifeblood of operations around the world. I would
    say one of the benefits we have in the air refueling, we right
    now have over 490 tankers, if you can combine in the KC-46, a
    lot of those tankers are in the Air Reserve proponent, the
    Kansas Guardsman.
        What we are able to do is not only work for the day-to-day
    capacity. We are also able to work with our guardsmen and our
    reservists with additional NPA, allowing them to meet some of
    our day-to-day needs, and then allow us to divest.
        The 135 is important, the bigger conversation is the KC-10,
    as incredible as that airplane is, and any fighter pilot will
    tell you, they love refueling off the KC-10, because it is an
    amazing airplane, carries a lot. It is very expensive. And as
    we phase in the KC-46, it is very important we phase out the
    KC-10s, and we are on a very roadmap with that right now.
        And we have worked out this roadmap with TRANSCOM, and the
    other combatant commanders, to make sure we can give them
    enough capacity to mitigate that risk, while we get to the
    modern fleet, which will be 300 KC-135s, modernized, and 179 KC
    46s. And then at that point, once we get to that 179, you will
    see it--start about a bridge contract, because eventually even
    those 300 KC-135s will be replaced. We just don't know what
    that is right now. We know right now, the first 179 will be KC-
    46.
        Senator Moran. When you say you don't know when, is the
    expectation that the 35s will generally be replaced with the
    46s in the same kind of magnitude and scale?
        General Nahom. They will be replaced because they are aging
    like any other aircraft. We are going to the first 179, we are
    going to go to a bridge contract after that, and you are seeing
    us having those discussions right now with what that is going
    to look like. And then we are keeping our eyes open to advanced
    technology.
        There may be something else beyond the KC-46, beyond a 767-
    based platform, to take us into the future. We want to make
    sure we keep our eyes open. We still have several more years of
    procurement on the KC-46. So the good thing is we have time to
    have these conversations, and look at the technologies out
    there, and make sure that when we get to 179, and we go to Jet
    180, and we start replacing the next round of KC-135s, we have
    the right aircraft.
        Senator Moran. I assume there is no indication or evidence
    that we are going to need less refueling missions in the
    future?
        General Nahom. No, sir. I will tell you, if you look at--if
    your eye is on China, like we all are right here, and you look
    at the distances in the South China Sea, you have to have the
    gas. I mean, there are some technologies we can talk about that
    maybe use less gas in fighters, engine technology, things like
    that. But overall, we are going to need the gas in the air.
        Senator Moran. Should I have any concern about the Guard
    units, as this transition is pursued, that they will lose their
    refueling mission?
        General Nahom. No, sir. There is no intention in that right
    now, sir.
        Senator Moran. So you wouldn't expect any specific,
    National Guard units to be involved in a divestiture process
    that would take them out of their mission?
        General Nahom. No, sir. Especially not in the refueling, we
    need the air refuelers. You know, one of the questions you will
    see coming out as we look at ops, the next two beddown
    locations for the Air National Guard, we are actually going to
    have that conversation in the next year. And of the Air
    National Guard units flying the KC-135 now, we are going to
    transition two of those as part of that 179, and that
    conversation will happen in the coming year.
        Senator Moran. General, thank you.
        General Nahom. Sure.
        Senator Tester. Senator Hoeven.
        Senator Hoeven. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And thanks to all
    three of you gentlemen, for being here, and for your service,
    it is much appreciated.
        General Nahom, last year we agreed to retire the Block 20
    Global Hawk. I am wondering, is there a current plan for those
    airplanes? I have heard possibly support testing hypersonic
    missiles. But is there a plan for those Block 20 airplanes?
        General Nahom. Sir, I am not aware of any plan. You are
    probably aware that we actually extended them a few months to
    assist in the withdrawal from our Afghan Forces. But anything
    beyond that, I will have to take that for the record, and
    ensure I have that correct, sir.
        Senator Hoeven. Thank you. Okay. This year you are
    requesting permission to retire Block 30 fleet, that is still
    under consideration, let us say. And so my question is, are you
    able to replace the capabilities of Block 30 fleet immediately,
    if in fact we did go with your request on that?
        General Nahom. Sir, if you look at what the Block 30s are
    doing today. They do it very well. That is one of these places
    where you look at some near-term risk to make sure we get to
    the fleet we want. There is some capacity that they provide to
    the joint users, the combatant commands out there, that we will
    have to mitigate with other technologies.
        But when you look at the future where we are going, the
    Global Hawk, because future ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance and
    Reconnaissance) platforms, we have to--you know, the three
    things that are most important is an ISR platform that can
    survive in the threat, persist in a threat, and then be
    connected. And the Global Hawk, because it was designed--it was
    not designed with the threat we are looking at right now from a
    resurgent China, we have to look to the future in that. And
    that is where that risk with the combatant commanders comes in,
    sir.
        Senator Hoeven. Have you looked at strengthening the
    survivability of the aircraft? Have you looked into that?
        General Nahom. Sir, just the nature of that aircraft, the
    altitude it flies, and then it--I will have to get back to you
    in a classified session on that question. I will take that for
    the record. But right now, when you look at that platform, the
    speeds it flies, the altitude that it flies, and the makeup of
    the aircraft, it is just not survivable in these contested
    environments that we are going to be looking to gather
    intelligence from in the future.
        Senator Hoeven. Are you making any plans to retire the
    Block 40?
        General Nahom. Sir, the Block 40 right now is a little bit
    different mission, because we actually rely on it for the GMTI,
    the ground moving target indicator capability. We also rely on
    the E-8 J STARS. We are going to retire a couple of J STARS
    because that airplane is really showing its age. We are going
    to need the Block 40s in the interim until we get to the ``what
    next'', and we will have to come back in a classified session
    to talk about that more.
        But the Block 40s are going to be very critical in the next
    6, 7, 8 years while we go to the ``what next'', and that
    capacity will be important for the combatant commanders, sir.
        Senator Hoeven. What is your rationale for curtailing
    purchase of the MQ-9?
        General Nahom. The MQ-9 right now, sir. We have over 300
    platforms. We have enough platforms of the MQ-9 to take us into
    the mid-2030s. We are not reducing the size of the fleet--of
    the squadrons. We are not reducing any manpower out of those
    squadrons. What we are asking for is to reduce some of the
    combat lines in the manner in which we have been flying them in
    the Middle East.
        The way we have been flying the MQ-9, as amazing as that
    platform is, we operate in a very manpower-intensive way. So we
    are looking to reduce some of the combat lines and start
    operating that aircraft a little differently. If you look at
    how many platforms we have, over 300, we just don't need
    additional platforms right now for the size of the enterprise
    we have in the Air Force.
        Again, it is one of those that is a balance too, because
    the MQ-9, as incredible as it is for some of the current-day
    operations, certainly things we do in the Middle East, it is
    not survival. It was never designed for what we foresee
    operations in the South China Sea, where the peer adversary
    would be.
        Senator Hoeven. So what are you going to replace it with?
        General Nahom. Sir, that we have a family of systems, I
    will have to come back to you in a classified setting to talk
    more details about some of the platforms and some of the
    capabilities we are bringing on, but we were certainly, if you
    look at what the MQ-9 brings to the warfighter today, we are
    certainly looking to make sure that we as an Air Force provide
    that level of ISR to the combatant commands in the future.
        Senator Hoeven. And I understand the concern with
    survivability, particularly relative to the near-peer
    adversaries. So I certainly understand that. But I also
    understand that there is always a demand for ISR out there.
        General Nahom. Yes, sir.
        Senator Hoeven. You always have a demand for more ISR.
        General Nahom. Yes, sir. Absolutely----
        Senator Hoeven. That is accurate, isn't it?
        General Nahom. Absolutely accurate, and that is why we are
    not taking any crews out of it. We are going to transition as
    smartly as we can move in forward. I do believe though, the
    reduction in the combat lines, because of our reduction of our
    presence in the Middle East is appropriate. Now we will have
    the opportunity to look at those platforms differently and use
    them differently in competition, and in some of these places
    around the world with less contested environments.
        Senator Hoeven. Thank you, General. And I look forward to
    visiting with you further on this.
        And to both of the gentlemen from the Navy, thank you for
    your use of unmanned or drone aircraft. I think it has been
    very effective, and I think you are doing a great job with it,
    and it is much appreciated.
        Again, General, thank you for the conversations we have had
    on this subject, and look forward to talking to you more on it.
        Senator Tester. And Senator Hoeven, next Wednesday, we are
    going to be having a hearing in classified that you can take
    all those questions back, and rock and fire with these guys.
        Senator Hoeven. Thanks, Mr. Chairman.
        Senator Tester. Yes.
        Senator Hoeven. I appreciate both you and the ranking
    member, thanks very much.
        Senator Tester. Senator Murkowski.
        Senator Murkowski. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        Gentlemen, good morning. Thank you all for your leadership.
        General Nahom, I understand that prior to my arrival here
    at the committee, you had discussion with Senator Moran
    regarding the KC-135s. And I wanted to just follow on to that
    conversation.
        We have been notified, four additional KC-135s that will
    join the fleet at Eielson, we are looking forward to that. We
    are very thankful for the continued partnership that we have in
    Alaska. I am also very aware of the Air Force's plan to divest
    the KC-135s as the KC-46s are available, recognizing that we
    have got an aging fleet up there.
        So the question for you this morning is with regards to
    timeline of when the divestiture of the KC-135 would affect
    Alaska, and when the delivery of the KC-46 might happen?
        General Nahom. Senator, well thank you for the question.
    You know, right now we are very focused on Alaska and these
    additional tankers. This is a really good new story for the Air
    Force. We need additional refueling capacity because the amount
    of--I mean, it is the center of fifth-generation warfare in
    higher Air Force, with what is going on up at Eielson with the
    F-35, and certainly with the plus-up of F-22s down in
    Anchorage.
        Getting more for refueling capacity has been our most
    immediate need. And that is why those additional four, and we
    are committed to getting those four tankers there as quickly as
    possible. We are just trying to build--we are assessing and
    building the infrastructure around them to make sure that we
    can take care of the mission, the added mission, as well as the
    airmen we send up there.
        Right now as we--the KC-135s are going to stay there until
    we can replace them with something. We need refueling capacity
    in Alaska, not just for the training on the JPARC, but also to
    project the power of those platforms around the world. And in
    that, in having that refueling capacity there immediately is
    game-changing for us.
        Now when we go to the KC-46, we are going to look at the
    next two KC-46 locations for the Air National Guard in the next
    year. We will assess all the locations to make sure we find the
    most suitable location, and that will go through our normal
    strategic basing process.
        Once we get to 179 of those airplanes, we will start--we
    are going to look at a bridge contract, and then we are going
    to look at a follow-on tanker, to see what is the most
    suitable. Eventually, those KC-135s will be replaced.
    Eventually they have to, they are aging like any other platform
    in the Air Force.
        When that is and what that platform is, whether it is the
    KC-46 or some other refueler that I cannot tell you right now.
    I do know that we will have robust refueling capacity in Alaska
    until that point, and then we are going to continue on with a
    new platform. I just don't know exactly when that time will be,
    ma'am.
        Senator Murkowski. But it looks like you are very, very
    focused on making sure that we don't have this gap that, in
    fact, we will be able to--whether it is utilizing, perhaps KC-
    46s, in kind of a rotation in and out in the interim, you are
    looking at all of these as potential consideration?
        General Nahom. Yes ma'am. And, you know, if you look at
    Alaska too, and what you need from that, if you look at the
    Pacific and how quick things can happen in the Pacific, we need
    to get air power to places around the world instantaneously,
    and sitting up there at Anchorage, or sitting up there at
    Eielson, waiting for a tanker to come from Kaunas, is not going
    to help us when we need to get air power out immediately.
        And having the fifth-generation aircraft there to train at
    that incredible range is wonderful, but then we have to be able
    to get it out quickly. And so the additional four tankers and
    increasing air refueling capacity, Alaska is one of the better
    moves we made in the last year?
        Senator Murkowski. Well, you know, how much I--I know you
    have heard this from Senator Sullivan, but we all recognize
    that this is key. We can put the assets out there, but if you
    can't fly them around because you don't have the fueling,
    refueling capacity, we have not helped anyone.
        Let me switch subjects real quickly. And this relates to
    icebreakers, Polar Security Cutters, you all know that we have
    made some good investments, and momentum with the Polar
    Security program. We want to make sure that we are maintaining
    that course. But as we are looking to divest, to invest, if you
    will, in new technologies and platforms, how are you
    incorporating the Arctic domain into the planning here? And,
    you know, we recognize that the Navy is certainly going to
    benefit from increased Coast Guard, Polar Security Cutters, do
    you need more assets up north to bolster your maritime domain
    awareness in this region?
        Admiral Kilby. So, ma'am, I will start. And I will ask
    Admiral Crites to come in if he wants to add anything. But as
    we think about new platforms, like DDG(X), understanding that
    operating environment, and the reach, and where the adversary
    is potentially going to be is critical for us. So we have to
    make that as part of the design criteria when we develop that
    ship based on our wargaming and analysis, and where we think we
    are going to operate.
        It looks to me like there is a couple of drivers for that
    new hull form, one of them is potentially firing a conventional
    prompt strike missile, or something like that, which will
    require it to operate in different areas than we have in the
    past, and perhaps present opportunities for us.
        So we would certainly include all those operating
    environments in that structure as we kind of work through that.
    But DDG(X) is an important ship for us in the future, because
    we need to create a ship that can be modernized. And the Flight
    III is an awesome ship. It is going to be the best ship in the
    world when we produce DDG-125. The availability of service life
    allowance from an HM&E perspective, hull mechanical and
    electrical perspective, to upgrade it to additional sensors is
    challenging.
        So we need a platform that can have the reserve to be
    updating and supportive of new things. So I think that will be
    a first opportunity for something forward-fit in the future in
    the combatant realm for us to do that. Of course, our
    submarines operate all over the world and provide us great
    access.
        Anything to add, Admiral Crites?
        Admiral Crites. Yes, ma'am, thanks for the question. I
    would just say that we strongly support the Coast Guards'
    icebreaker fleet, as well as Polar Security Cutter. We have got
    some good investments in 2022 associated with the Arctic, some
    good investments in R&D that is tied to autonomous systems, and
    sensing, as Admiral Kilby mentioned, submarine presence and our
    ability to operate up there is important.
        The National Defense Strategy that is being worked now,
    there will be additional direction, I think, provided in that
    document. The Secretary of Defense had highlighted that I think
    in his testimony recently, and we are looking forward to seeing
    that. But it is absolutely important, and we are certainly
    focused there, and looking at our strategy with the Coast
    Guard.
        Senator Murkowski. Appreciate that.
        Admiral Crites. Yes, ma'am.
        Senator Murkowski. I recognize that the Secretary is going
    to be up in Alaska, up in the Eielson area, over the weekend on
    the way to other points, so I think it is his first trip as
    Secretary, and we are looking forward to his positive review
    afterwards.
        Thank you as chairman.
        Senator Tester. Thank you. I just have one quick follow-up
    question, and it follows up on something that Senator Shelby
    had asked you guys that I think is very important. And that is,
    how many of these proposals are divestments due to saving money
    versus weapons that are simply past their prime?
        Admiral Kilby. So it is a mix, sir. Cruisers are ships that
    we value greatly and were originally designed for 30 years. So
    of the ships that we are considering divesting of in this
    budget, many of those were produced in the last budget, two are
    presented in this budget, Hue City and Anzio.
        So those are not, I would say, totally affordability-
    driven, they are maintainability-driven, and relevance-driven.
    There are some other investments, though, that we talked about
    that are younger, that we could get more service life
    allowance, that we made a decision, based on their
    capabilities, that they would be less relevant, but there is
    certainly hull life left on those.
        Senator Tester. Okay.
        General Nahom. And sir, from the Air Force. I would, I
    would say that we are not divesting anything that we would need
    for a peer fight. We are certainly, because of the budget, we
    are buying things at a slower rate than we would like, fighters
    are a perfect example, we are not buying fighters fast enough
    to replace the fighters that are falling off due to age.
        I would say, based on the budget, though, we are divesting
    some systems that we could use in the interim to fill in some
    of that capacity that the combatant commanders need. And that
    is what we are--that is that risk piece, but we are still
    trying to create that Air Force that we believe that the Nation
    needs to defend our interests in the coming decades.
        Senator Tester. Senator Shelby.
        Senator Shelby. General, at what point--I know you have to
    think about this--will we get to where, looking at the risk in
    the world to us and our allies, that we had better be careful
    what we, not only divest, but how much we get for the future?
    Is that a thought sometimes, every day?
        General Nahom. Absolutely, sir. I am not--and I am always
    concerned what we divest, because I know the combatant--what
    the combatant commanders and our airmen need around the world.
    I am very concerned with readiness, that we are not investing
    in readiness right now, the one of my bigger concerns. But I
    will tell you, I am very concerned with what we are not with--
    you know, when we are talking about, you know, B-21s, or the
    next-generation air dominance, you know, some of these things
    are not going to be in service for 10, 12 years.
        And, you know, we have got to make sure that we continue
    the investment, so they do arrive. We cannot afford to bring on
    the B-21 and have that--that bomber is going to be critical to
    our Nation's defense. And we cannot do what we did with the B-2
    and only buy 20 of them. We have got to make sure that we stay
    invested in these systems moving forward. And that is a
    concern, sir.
        Senator Shelby. But we have to stay looking long-term at
    the future, knowing China is a long-term thinker and
    implementer, long-term. They sit in readiness, but the answer
    is in tomorrow, and tomorrow, aren't they? Are they not?
        General Nahom. Yes, sir. We obviously need to look at the
    threat. And I will say the thing that gives me the most pause
    when you look at the threat, you know, I have been asked, you
    know, did the NDS (National Defense Strategy) back in 2018, get
    it right? And I would say, yes but, I would say the threat is
    accelerating much more than we would have thought back in 2018.
        Senator Shelby. But we also have to think, where are we
    going to be in 10 years.
        General Nahom. Yes, sir.
        Senator Shelby. Because we think the Navy has always
    thought, the Air Force did and the Army did, but the Navy,
    especially, because of the cost and time to build ships and
    submarines. So you have got to think of, say, 10 years from
    now, or even 20 years. The Chinese though have the economic
    base that the Soviet Union never had as far as the future
    wealth to--as a nation. You can see it coming. I mean, it is
    there, whether you like it or not. Is that true?
        General Nahom. Yes, sir. I would say they have some
    advantages, as do we. You know, we, we have a lot of partners
    and allies out there that other nations don't--or that China
    does not have. You know, recently we had exercise----
        Senator Shelby. We do today, but we have got to think of
    where are we going to be, say, 10 years from now, or 20 years.
        General Nahom. Yes, sir. Absolutely.
        Senator Shelby. Because they are, by nature, pretty
    patient, aren't they?
        General Nahom. Yes, sir. You know, there are signs that,
    you know, are very positive. You know, when you look at an
    exercise where you have, Italian, British----
        Senator Shelby. Yes.
        General Nahom [continuing]. Israeli, and U.S. Marine--U.S.
    Air Force, U.S. Marine, the F-35s, all operating together in a
    single exercise, that is something our adversaries cannot
    match. And I think there is some power in that. And I think, as
    we look to the future, not just the investments, we look at our
    partners and allies, and then we talk a lot about in the Air
    Force about the Advanced Battle Management system, and how that
    relates what the Navy is doing with overmatch, and the joint,
    all-demand, command and control system, and how we share data,
    and how we modernize together. I think there are--that we are
    doing--we are making good investments as we look to the future,
    but it is certainly something to keep an eye on. Thank you.
        Senator Tester. Thank you.
        Senator Shelby.
        We, appreciate your testimony here today. Senators may
    submit additional written questions and we asked if that
    happens, that you respond to them in a reasonable amount of
    time.
        This conversation is going to continue next week. This
    Defense Subcommittee will reconvene on July 28, which is a
    Wednesday at 10 a.m. It will be in closed session to examine
    the next-generation weapons systems in the fiscal year 2022
    budget request.

                             CONCLUSION OF HEARINGS

        Senator Tester. Thank you, guys. I assume you are going to
    be at the hearing next week. So we will see you then.
        With that, this committee stands in recess.
        [Whereupon, at 10:57 a.m., Wednesday, July 21, the hearings
    were concluded, and the subcommittee was recessed, to reconvene
    subject to the call of the Chair.]

           DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022

                                  ----------

                                           U.S. Senate,
               Subcommittee of the Committee on Appropriations,
                                                        Washington, DC.
        [Clerk's note.--The subcommittee was unable to hold
    hearings on nondepartmental witnesses. The statements and
    letters of those submitting written testimony are as follows:]

                           NONDEPARTMENTAL WITNESSES

       Prepared Statement of the Coalition for National Security Research
        Dear Chairman Tester and Ranking Member Shelby, and distinguished
    Members of the subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to submit
    outside witness testimony as you begin to craft the fiscal year (FY)
    2022 Defense Appropriations bill. The Coalition for National Security
    Research (CNSR) (https://cnsr4research.org/) is a broad-based alliance
    of more than 100 members from industry, academia, scientific and
    professional associations, and non-profits conducting vital scientific
    research to create new and improve existing technologies and
    capabilities to support the U.S. Department of Defense's (DoD)
    operations.
        With nearly 70 percent of Research, Development, Test and
    Evaluation (RDT&E) conducted extramurally,\1\ DoD relies on its
    partners such as CNSR members to perform the RDT&E that will provide
    the Department the technologies and capabilities it needs to secure our
    national security. If the United States military is to maintain its
    technological advantage during great power competition, it is
    imperative that we make robust investments in the Defense Science and
    Technology (S&T) enterprise, including strengthening the future defense
    workforce. As noted by the Defense Science Board (DSB), lower funding
    levels for Defense S&T could threaten the dominance of the U.S.
    military.\2\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \1\ https://ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsf21329.
        \2\ https://dsb.cto.mil/reports/1990s/
    DefenseScienceandTechnologyBaseforthe21stCentury.pdf.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
          fiscal year 2022 budget request for the defense s&t program
        The Biden-Harris Interim National Security Strategic Guidance
    states that the United States will double down on science and
    technology investments and support cutting-edge technologies and
    capabilities that will advance our military and national security in
    the future.\3\ In addition, the National Defense Strategy (NDS) calls
    for establishing an unmatched twenty-first century national security
    innovation base and sustaining Joint Force military advantages.\4\
    Unfortunately, the FY 2022 budget fails to meet the commitment in the
    Interim National Security Strategic Guidance and request the
    appropriate resources to implement the NDS.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \3\ https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/
    2021/03/03/interim-national-security-strategic-guidance/.
        \4\ https://dod.defense.gov/Portals/1/Documents/pubs/2018-National-
    Defense-Strategy-Summary.pdf.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        While the budget requests the RDT&E top line ever, it
    simultaneously calls for cutting Defense S&T funding within the larger
    portfolio by 13% or more than $2.1 billion. The budget also requests
    cutting defense basic research, the type of research that makes
    discoveries to enable future technologies and military capabilities, by
    14.5% or more than $388 million. With China investing three times more
    annually in R&D than the U.S. and likely to be the world's top R&D
    performer in the near future,\5\ now is not the time to cut funding for
    the DoD's primary programs that create new technologies and
    capabilities--as well as to help train the next generation defense
    workforce--to ensure the U.S. military maintains its global dominance.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \5\ https://ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsb20203.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        The FY 2022 budget proposes more than just cutting the Defense S&T
    program below FY 2021 Congressionally enacted levels, it proposes to
    cut certain research programs below levels requested in the FY 2021
    budget request. More specifically, DoD requested fewer resources
    compared to its last budget request for overall 6.1 defense basic
    research; Army University Research Initiatives; Army applied research;
    Navy basic research; Air Force basic research; Air Force applied
    research; DTRA Basic Research Initiatives; and Defense-Wide basic
    research. This de-emphasis on supporting the kind of research that
    maintains our technological and strategic advantage over adversaries
    developing advanced capabilities puts the military at a competitive
    disadvantage. Condoning this proposed budget will have many negative,
    sustained implications for our national security in the short-term and
    long-term.
        CNSR urges Congress to reject cuts requested in the FY 2022 budget
    for the Defense S&T program and increase funding by least 6% over FY
    2021 consistent with the recommendations from the National Defense
    Strategy Commission; \6\ DSB; \7\ National Security Commission on
    Artificial Intelligence (NSCAI); \8\ National Academies; \9\ Center for
    a New American Security (CNAS); \10\ House Armed Services Committee's
    Future of Defense Task Force; \11\ Council on Competitiveness; \12\ and
    American Academy of Arts and Sciences.\13\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \6\ https://www.usip.org/sites/default/files/2018-11/providing-for-
    the-common-defense.pdf.
        \7\ http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a403874.pdf.
        \8\ https://www.nscai.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Full-Report-
    Digital-1.pdf.
        \9\ https://www.nap.edu/catalog/11463/rising-above-the-gathering-
    storm-energizing-and-employing-america-for.
        \10\ https://www.cnas.org/publications/commentary/sharpening-the-u-
    s-militarys-edge-critical-steps-for-the-next-administration.
        \11\ https://armedservices.house.gov/--cache/files/2/6/26129500-
    d208-47ba-a9f7-25a8f82828b0/6D5C75605DE8DDF0013712923B4388D7.future-of-
    defense-task-force-report.pdf.
        \12\ https://www.compete.org/reports/all/202.
        \13\ https://www.amacad.org/sites/default/files/publication/
    resources/Perils-of-Complacency_Full-Report_1.pdf.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
                   defense basic research pe recommendations
        For decades, the defense basic research programs have provided the
    scientific breakthroughs to give the warfighter the weapons and
    infrastructure needed to succeed. Capabilities that help ensure our
    national security--such as advances in hypersonics testing, various
    quantum technologies, semiconductors critical to defense radar systems,
    solar cell efficiency, laser technologies, stealth capabilities, night
    vision, GPS, sonar, radar, precision munitions, biosensors, and near-
    real-time delivery of battlefield information--all derive from defense
    basic research.
        We off the following recommendations for the key defense basic
    research PEs that serve as the foundation of the defense innovation
    pipeline necessary to maintaining the U.S military's global
    technological superiority.

                                                                        [$ in thousands]
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                                                FY21               CNSR FY22
                            Agency--RDT&E                                      Program Element (PE)               FY21  PBR   Enacted   FY22  PBR    Request
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Army........................................................                      Defense Research Sciences    $303,257   $367,457   $297,241   $389,504
    Army........................................................                University Research Initiatives     $67,148    $97,148    $66,981   $102,977
    Army........................................................              University and Industry Research Cente$87,877   $121,877    $94,003   $129,190
    Army........................................................                                               Cyber $5,077orati$5,077earch$5,067nce  $5,382
    Army........................................................   Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning         N/A        N/A    $10,183        N/A
                                                                                                 Basic Research
    Navy........................................................                University Research Initiatives    $116,816   $144,816   $117,448   $153,505
    Navy........................................................                      Defense Research Sciences    $467,158   $489,984   $484,421   $519,383
    Air Force...................................................                      Defense Research Sciences    $315,348   $325,348   $328,303   $344,869
    Air Force...................................................                University Research Initiatives    $161,861   $196,861   $162,403   $208,673
    Air Force...................................................         High Energy Laser Research Initiatives     $15,085    $15,085         $0    $15,990
    Defense-Wide................................................                DTRA Basic Research Initiatives     $14,617    $14,617    $11,828    $15,494
    Defense-Wide................................................                     Basic Research Initiatives     $35,565    $75,565    $39,828    $80,099
    Defense-Wide................................................             National Defense Education Program    $100,241   $137,241   $112,195   $145,475
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                        university research initiatives
        The FY 2022 budget request would cut University Research
    Initiatives (URIs) by more than 20% which means funding at levels below
    2005, adjusted for inflation. Given that universities and colleges
    perform the majority (55%) of DoD-funded basic research,\14\ the type
    of research that creates paradigm shifts in DoD's technological
    capabilities, cutting URIs this significantly will not only harm
    defense innovation efforts, but also workforce development since basic
    research funding often attracts the most creative minds in fields of
    critical interest to DoD.\15\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \14\ https://ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsf21329.
        \15\ https://dsb.cto.mil/reports/2010s/BasicResearch.pdf.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        A program within URIs, the Multidisciplinary University Research
    Initiative (MURI) regularly produces revolutionary new military
    technologies and has become an essential skunkworks for create
    innovation.\16\ Unfortunately, the FY 2022 budget request proposes to
    fund MURIs at levels below FY 2005, adjusted for inflation. This will
    only exacerbate the fact that the program is already dramatically
    underfunded. According to DoD, the MURI program received 365 proposals
    in FY 2020 but was only able to make 26 awards--leaving 339 proposals
    unfunded including 32 potentially game-changing research projects that
    were determined to be worthy of funding but were not due to a lack of
    appropriations. Not funding potentially revolutionary defense
    scientific research will hurt our ability to maintain global military
    technological superiority.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \16\ https://www.ida.org/idamedia/Corporate/Files/Publications/
    IDA.../STD/D-5361.pdf.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        In addition, the situation is similar for the Defense University
    Research Instrumentation Program (DURIP), which provides infrastructure
    and equipment support to build universities' capacity to conduct
    defense-relevant research. The FY 2022 budget request proposes to fund
    DURIP at levels below FY 2010, adjusted for inflation, further
    underfunding this program. According to DoD, the DURIP program received
    724 proposals in FY 2020 but was only able to make 172 awards--leaving
    a staggering 552 proposals unfunded including 229 critical
    infrastructure and equipment projects that were determined to be worthy
    of funding but were not funded due to a lack of appropriations. If
    universities and colleges do not have the infrastructure and equipment
    necessary to do unique defense research, the DoD will potentially lose
    its biggest source of support for developing new capabilities.
                          minerva research initiative
        The Minerva Research Initiative is DoD's signature social science
    basic research program that funds university-led teams to address
    problems of strategic importance to U.S. national security. As noted by
    DoD officials, because many national security challenges are driven by
    complex social dynamics, Minerva is an important source of new ideas to
    better understand social, behavioral, cultural, and political
    considerations that are inherent to our security and stability. Despite
    its importance, the FY 2022 budget request cuts funding for Minerva
    from $17 million to only $4 million within the Defense-Wide Basic
    Research Initiatives PE.
        This cut is shortsighted for two main reasons. First, Minerva's
    research is aligned with and critical to carrying out the NDS in
    support of Department-wide priorities. Recently funded Minerva
    projects, such as ``Russian Disinformation and Propaganda Campaigns''
    and ``Empirical Analysis for Meeting Great Power Challenges'' have
    given DoD unique insights that help shape future national security
    policies and better position the warfighter to navigate a complex
    global environment. Second, Minerva is another underfunded defense
    basic research program. According to DoD, in FY 2019, Minerva received
    180 applications but only funded 15--at least 6 projects were
    determined to be worthy of funding but were not funded due to a lack of
    appropriations.
                  defense applied research pe recommendations
        Basic scientific research is just the first step in creating new or
    improving existing military technologies. Researchers, scientists, and
    engineers must apply the fundamental knowledge learned from basic
    research to solve complex military problems and develop the systems and
    components for potential solutions. To that end, we propose to
    highlight the success of the Defense-Wide Manufacturing Science &
    Technology PE, which the FY 2022 budget requests cuts of 45%. This PE
    provides DoD's contributions to the Manufacturing USA Institutes that
    help move discoveries from the nation's universities and research
    laboratories to the defense industrial base while strengthening the
    U.S. workforce. For example, DoD-funded institutes have demonstrated
    enhanced heat exchange capabilities for additive manufacturing,
    addressed cybersecurity supply chain issues, reduced weight of armor
    for military ground vehicles, and developed a first-of-its-kind
    advanced functional fiber to enable underwater communications.\17\ In
    FY 2019, the Manufacturing USA Institutes conducted 561 major applied
    research and development projects of high priority to broad industry
    sectors. In addition, the network had more than 32,000 workers and
    students participate in education and workforce development activities.
    The Manufacturing USA Network is an example of a program supporting
    implementation of the NDS to enhance the domestic manufacturing and the
    defense industrial base. In order to ensure that discoveries made
    through basic research are translated into practical military
    technologies and capabilities, we offer the following recommendations
    for our priority applied research PEs.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \17\ https://www.nist.gov/publications/manufacturing-usa-20192020-
    highlights-report.

                                                                        [$ in thousands]
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                                         FY21                   CNSR FY22
                         Agency--RDT&E                                   Program Element (PE)              FY21  PBR   Enacted   FY22  PBR       Request
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Army...................................................                         Lethality Technology     $42,425   $108,925    $64,126   General Support
    Army...................................................                 Soldier Lethality Technology    $125,435   $204,435   $105,168   General Support
    Army...................................................                            Ground Technology     $28,047   $154,047    $56,400   General Support
    Army...................................................                             Next Generation Comb$217,565le $265,565gy $172,166   General Support
    Army...................................................                            High Performance Comp$188,024der$228,024   $189,123   General Support
    Navy...................................................                                      Marine Corps$50,623orce$55,623logy$51,112   General Support
    Navy...................................................                                             Commo$48,001re A$43,703Rese$51,477   General Support
    Navy...................................................      Warfighter Sustainment Applied Research     $67,765   $116,255    $70,547   General Support
    Navy...................................................     Electromagnetic Systems Applied Research     $84,994    $92,994    $85,157   General Support
    Navy...................................................      Ocean Warfighting Environmental Applied     $63,392    $80,284    $70,086   General Support
                                                                                                Research
    Navy...................................................                                Future Naval Capa$167,590 Ap$170,724sea$173,356   General Support
    Navy...................................................             Manufacturing Technology Program     $60,122    $60,122    $57,263   General Support
    Navy...................................................                Advanced Undersea Prototyping    $115,858    $89,812    $58,473   General Support
    Air Force..............................................                                    Materials    $140,781   $238,281   $113,460   General Support
    Air Force..............................................         Human Effectiveness Applied Research    $115,222   $134,122   $136,273   General Support
    Air Force..............................................                            Aerospace Sensors    $211,301   $233,301   $174,683   General Support
    Air Force..............................................                   Directed Energy Technology    $128,113   $130,613   $121,869   General Support
    Air Force..............................................    Dominant Information Sciences and Methods    $178,668   $215,668   $169,110   General Support
    Air Force..............................................                   High Energy Laser Research     $45,088    $29,208         $0   General Support
    Defense-Wide...........................................                                             Cyber$15,255ty R$25,255    $15,380   General Support
    Defense-Wide...........................................       Defense-Wide Manufacturing S&T Program     $93,817   $245,817   $134,022          $260,566
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

       defense advanced research projects agency (darpa) recommendations
        DARPA's ability to create truly revolutionary new capabilities is
    well documented. AI, microelectronics, speech recognition, touchscreen
    displays, unmanned aerial vehicles, and advanced wireless capabilities
    all stem from DARPA-funded research. DARPA has worked with the academic
    community to create the Internet, computer chips critical to AI
    systems, self-driving cars, stealth technologies, metamaterials, and
    neuro-prosthetics. More recently, DARPA's research was partially
    responsible for developing RNA-based vaccines, which have been critical
    in the global response to COVID-19.\18\ It is safe to say that the
    world would be a different place without DARPA-enabled research. CNSR
    strongly supports robust funding for DARPA. We recommend a funding
    level of $3.7 billion for DARPA to continue supporting game-changing
    scientific research.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \18\ https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/
    Tompkins%20Statement%20For%20
    The%20Record.pdf.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Again, thank you for the opportunity to submit outside witness
    testimony as you develop the FY 2022 Defense Appropriations bill.
    Please do not hesitate to contact us if we can be of any assistance
    during the FY 2022 appropriations process.
                                     ______

           Prepared Statement of the Consortium for Ocean Leadership
        On behalf of the Consortium for Ocean Leadership (COL), which
    represents our nation's leading ocean science, research, and technology
    organizations from academia, industry, and the larger nonprofit sector
    (to include philanthropy, associations, and aquariums), I appreciate
    the opportunity to submit for the record our fiscal year (FY) 2021
    funding priorities for the Department of Defense (DOD).
        The United States is a maritime nation whose military and national
    defense are essential, not only to the security of our own country, but
    to the stability of global democracy. A key component of this continued
    success is our military's technological superiority, which has provided
    superior weapons and systems that offset size and geographic advantages
    of potential adversaries for more than 70 years. This extends to our
    dominance in the ocean environment. The late Admiral James D. Watkins,
    chief of naval operations from 1982-1986, used to stress that our
    superior knowledge of the undersea domain gave the United States the
    competitive advantage necessary for our victory in the Cold War.
        Do we have that same competitive advantage in oceanography-which
    lets us understand the undersea environment-to outcompete an adversary
    today? As other nations, such as Russia and China, increase their
    investments in ocean-related research and development (R&D) spending,
    they threaten our leadership in this sector, which was once second to
    none. Advances in technology are necessary for us to observe, monitor,
    map, explore, and characterize our undersea environment; without those
    capabilities, we cannot maintain our competitive advantage. As a way to
    address the eroding competitive advantage in ocean science, the Navy
    established Task Force Ocean (TFO).
        However, it is not just in the undersea domain where our science-
    and technology-induced dominance is eroding. This same runs true for
    our overall technological advantage, with DOD leaders testifying to
    other nations meeting and beating the United States in innovative and
    strategic capabilities. There are many who believe our gap in
    leadership is closing due to multiple factors, including both changes
    in composition of research and development funding as well as the
    growing technological skills of potential adversaries. While there are
    many efforts that must be taken to maintain our technological advantage
    (TFO being just one of them), one consideration that has been raised is
    the adequacy of DOD's investments in Research, Development, Test, and
    Evaluation (RDT&E).
        While the president's budget request for FY 2022 includes a request
    for the largest increase ever for the RDT&E top line (4.5% over FY 2021
    funding levels), this does not extend to the science and technology
    (S&T) budget within RDT&E. The S&T budget request includes a steep 13%
    decrease for the S&T budget compared to FY 2021 enacted levels, with
    basic research (6.1) and applied research (6.2) seeing a 14.5% decrease
    and advanced technology development (6.3) dropping 11.1%. Similar
    decreases are proposed within Navy's budget but with an 11.9% overall
    decrease to S&T: 8% for basic research, 17.5% for applied research, and
    7.2% for advanced technology development.
        These dramatic decreases in S&T funding would impact our nation's
    military superiority and our technological edge, and COL echoes the
    concerns and requests from testimony submitted by the Coalition for
    National Security Research (CNSR), which includes more than 100 members
    from industry, academia, scientific and professional associations, and
    nonprofits that advocate for a strong Defense S&T enterprise. As stated
    in CNSR's testimony, ``With China investing three times more annually
    in R&D than the U.S. and likely to be the world's top R&D performer in
    the near future, now is not the time to cut funding for the DoD's
    primary programs that create new technologies and capabilities--as well
    as to help train the next generation defense workforce--to ensure the
    U.S. military maintains its global dominance.''
        I respectfully request the subcommittee reject the proposed Defense
    S&T cuts and instead increase funding by at least six percent over FY
    2021 levels, in accordance with the CNSR request, which is consistent
    with recommendations from the National Defense Strategy Commission, the
    National Academies, the House Armed Services Committee's Future of
    Defense Task Force, and many others. I'd also like to highlight funding
    priorities for several program elements (PE) important to our defense
    ocean science and technology enterprise.
    Defense Basic Research: University Research Initiatives
        DOD supports basic research to advance fundamental knowledge in
    fields relevant to national defense. To accomplish this work, DOD has a
    strong relationship with academia, with universities and colleges
    performing 55% of DOD-funded basic research. The University Research
    Initiatives (URI) exist across the services to improve the quality of
    research and to support scientists and engineers necessary for our
    national defense needs. The proposed 20% cut to URI funding across the
    Army, Navy, and Air Force would put funding, when adjusted for
    inflation, at lower than 2005 levels. For Navy URI specifically, the
    budget request proposes an 18.9% decrease.
        One of the Navy URI programs, the Defense University Research
    Instrumentation Program (DURIP), is a competitive annual grants process
    that supports university research infrastructure, including
    instrumentation essential for cutting-edge research, that is necessary
    for high-quality research in the Navy's interests. Given the role
    colleges and universities play in performing the majority of DOD-funded
    basic research, it is critical they maintain the requisite
    infrastructure and equipment. DURIP's calls for proposals have only
    been able to fund a fraction of what is needed--in FY 2020, DURIP
    (including Army and Air Force DURIPs) funded 172 projects but left 552
    proposals unfunded, including 229 critical infrastructure and equipment
    projects that were not funded simply due to a lack of appropriated
    funds, even though they were considered worthy of support. I
    respectfully request strong support for URI and at least an additional
    $20 million for Navy DURIP (PE 0601103N) in FY 2022.
    Defense Applied Research: Task Force Ocean (PE 0602435N/Ocean
            Warfighting Environment Applied Research)
        The Chief of Naval Operations launched Navy's Task Force Ocean
    (TFO) in 2017 to bolster the Navy's commitment to ocean science and
    technology by strengthening partnerships with academia and the private
    sector to advance ocean science relevant to Navy interests. Its goals
    and scope are based on the recognition that the entire U.S. ocean
    scientific and technological enterprise must be utilized to sustain our
    naval competitive advantage. I appreciate the subcommittee's support
    for TFO and respectfully request an increase of $10 million to the
    Ocean Warfighting Environment Applied Research, Navy RDT&E, Line 10, PE
    0602435N for Research at Sea in Support of Task Force Ocean. This
    additional funding would enable more at-sea research that would help
    the Navy improve operations and meet its goals. It would allow for
    increased testing and demonstration of science and technology concepts
    (e.g., seagoing oceanography, acoustics, signal processing, uncrewed
    systems, and data analytics) and would more quickly move research to
    operations due to the increased number of scientists and projects able
    to go to sea.
    Defense Applied Research: National Oceanographic Partnership Program
            (PE 0602435N/Ocean Warfighting Environment Applied Research)
        For more than 20 years, the National Oceanographic Partnership
    Program (NOPP), established in the National Defense Authorization Act
    for Fiscal Year 1997, has been facilitating interagency and public-
    private partnerships and advancing large-scale collaborations in ocean
    research that address economic development, national security, quality
    of life, and science education. NOPP-supported projects have enabled
    unique partnerships between DOD, federal agencies, universities, and
    the private sector to help us understand our ocean, improving our
    understanding of strategic bathometric and natural processes that are
    essential to advanced ocean combat and security activities,
    particularly with respect to China's growing interest in ocean
    domination. NOPP has also helped grow the ocean-STEM pipeline through
    support of the National Ocean Sciences Bowl (described below) and
    significantly contributes to the buildout and modernization of the
    National Security Innovation Base. I greatly appreciate the Navy's
    continued support for NOPP and respectfully request an addition $8.7
    million above the FY 2021 enacted level for a total of $17.5 million.
        Finally, it is imperative that Navy STEM funding be prioritized and
    increased, as attracting, recruiting, and retaining a talented and
    diverse workforce is critical to operations. Building a diverse
    workforce capable of maintaining our military superiority does not
    start with support for those already in the STEM fields (which is an
    important component of it) but instead begins with bringing talented
    individuals to the pipeline. A series of workshops supporting the
    development of TFO's strategy and roadmap recommended investing in K-12
    ocean-STEM initiatives--because the recruitment pipeline must begin
    prior to university training or military enlistment--as a mechanism to
    ensure the Navy has an adequate ocean science workforce in the coming
    decade.
        However, most high schools don't include Earth or ocean sciences as
    part of their formal coursework; while 98% and 94% of high schools
    offer disciplinary biology and chemistry courses, respectively, only
    48% offer environmental or Earth science courses. Therefore, it is up
    to informal education programs to build interest and knowledge in ocean
    science and careers in ocean science and engineering. It is crucially
    important for the Office of Naval Research (ONR) to increase investment
    in informal ocean education programs. For example, ONR is a founding
    sponsor of the National Ocean Sciences Bowl (NOSB), but support for
    such educational programs--as with ocean science as a whole--has not
    been able to keep pace with the need for talent in this field. In its
    24-year history, the NOSB, a program of COL and a quiz-bowl style ocean
    science competition for high schoolers, has introduced tens of
    thousands of students to the possibility of a career in ocean science
    years before they might have otherwise considered it as a career path
    (if at all). By supporting the NOSB, the Navy can engage a future
    skilled workforce capable of enhancing maritime domain awareness and
    exploring viable solutions to the growing challenges facing our ocean
    and planet. I respectfully request an additional $50 million to support
    ONR's K-12 STEM education efforts.
        Thank you for the opportunity to submit testimony and for your time
    and consideration, as maintaining our nation's competitive advantage in
    the maritime domain is of utmost importance.

    _______________________________________________________________________
                    consortium for ocean leadership members

    Alaska Ocean Observing System
    Alaska SeaLife Center
    Aquarium of the Pacific
    ARCUS
    ASV Global, LLC
    Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences
    Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences
    Chevron USA
    College of William & Mary (VIMS)
    Columbia University (LDEO)
    Consumer Energy Alliance
    Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences
    Dauphin Island Sea Lab
    Duke University
    Earth2Ocean
    East Carolina University
    Esri
    Estuary & Ocean Science Center, San Francisco State University
    Exocetus Autonomous Systems
    FAU Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute
    Florida Institute of Oceanography
    Harte Research Institute
    Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute
    IEEE Oceanic Engineering Society
    Institute for Global Environmental Strategies
    IOOS Association
    JASCO Applied Sciences
    L-3 MariPro, Inc.
    Liquid Robotics, Inc.
    Louisiana State University
    Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium
    MARACOOS
    Marine Technology Society
    Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Monmouth University Urban Coast Institute
    Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute
    Moss Landing Marine Laboratories
    Moore Foundation
    Mystic Aquarium
    National Ocean Industries Association
    NERACOOS
    New England Aquarium
    North Carolina State University
    North Pacific Research Board
    Nova Southeastern University
    Ocean Aero, Inc.
    Old Dominion University
    Oregon State University
    Pennsylvania State University
    Rutgers University
    Saildrone
    Savannah State University
    Schmidt Ocean Institute
    Sea-Bird Scientific
    Severn Marine Technologies, LLC
    Shell
    Skidaway Institute of Oceanography of UGA
    Sonardyne, Inc.
    South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium
    SURA
    Stanford University
    Stony Brook University
    Texas A&M University
    ThayerMahan
    U.S. Arctic Research Commission
    U.S. Naval Postgraduate School
    University of Alaska Fairbanks
    University of California, Davis
    University of California, San Diego (Scripps)
    University of California, Santa Barbara
    University of California, Santa Cruz
    University of Delaware
    University of Florida
    University of Hawaii
    University of Maine
    University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science
    University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth
    University of Miami
    University of New Hampshire
    University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
    University of North Carolina, Wilmington
    University of Rhode Island
    University of South Carolina
    University of South Florida
    University of Southern California
    University of Southern Mississippi
    University of Texas at Austin
    University of Washington
    University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee School of Freshwater Sciences
    Vulcan, Inc.
    Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

        [This statement was submitted by Dr. Alan P Leonardi, President and
    CEO,
    Consortium for Ocean Leadership.]
                                     ______

       Prepared Statement of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court
        Dear Chair Tester, Ranking Member Shelby, and Members of the Senate
    Defense Appropriations Subcommittee:
        Thank you for the opportunity to submit testimony concerning the
    public availability of significant Foreign Intelligence Surveillance
    Court (FISC) decisions, orders, and opinions. The FISC rules on
    government requests to conduct domestic electronic surveillance
    pursuant to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Unlike
    traditional courts, whose opinions and orders are publicly available by
    default, the FISC's decisions, orders, and opinions (hereinafter
    ``opinions'') are routinely kept secret.
        A cornerstone of any democracy is the rule of law, which requires
    that laws be available to the public. This is the method through which
    the public consents to the law and creates a feedback mechanism through
    which law is made to reflect popular will. To the extent the FISC
    issues rulings that interpret and expand upon laws enacted by Congress,
    those substantive opinions must be publicly available for the
    democratic process to work.
        The role of the FISC has expanded over the decades to include
    issuing substantive opinions, but laws governing transparency of those
    opinions have been slow to keep up. For example, there was controversy
    over mass surveillance in 2013 arising in part from decisions of the
    FISC, which prompted Congress to debate new transparency and
    accountability measures intended to ensure the FISC's opinions are
    sound and reflect Congressional intent.\1\ Ultimately, Congress chose
    to amend the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act in 2015 to provide
    for more transparency.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \1\ Reform of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Courts: A Brief
    Overview, Congressional Research Service Rpt. R43451 (March 31, 2014).
    https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/R43451.html.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Specifically, Congress directed the release of significant FISC
    decisions, orders, and opinions. Section 402 of the USA Freedom Act of
    2015 requires the Director of National Intelligence, in consultation
    with the Attorney General, to ``conduct a declassification review of
    each decision, order, or opinion issued'' by the Foreign Intelligence
    Surveillance Court ``that includes a significant construction or
    interpretation of any provision of law.'' \2\ Accordingly, the FISC has
    published some materials online.\3\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \2\ USA FREEDOM Act of 2015, P.L. 114-23. https://www.congress.gov/
    bill/114th-congress/house-bill/2048.
        \3\ See Public Filings--U.S. Foreign Intelligence Surveillance
    Court, United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (accessed
    May 12, 2021). https://www.fisc.uscourts.gov/public-filings.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        The original scope of section 402 is unclear. Was it to apply to
    all opinions or only opinions from 2015 forward? Regardless, the
    Executive branch took the position that the law should not be
    understood to apply to all rulings, but only those from 2015 forward.
    Thus, Congress, the public, and litigants before the FISC have some
    access to recent substantive opinions, but virtually no access to an
    unknown number of prior, substantive rulings by the Court. These
    earlier decisions have precedential effect.
        We believe, within the framework established in law, that all of
    the FISC's substantive rulings should be publicly available, regardless
    of when they were issued.
        This view is shared by the House of Representatives and the Senate,
    which both passed legislation requiring disclosure of substantive FISC
    opinions last Congress as part of the USA FREEDOM Reauthorization Act
    of 2020.\4\ A disagreement over an unrelated matter prevented that bill
    from becoming law.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \4\ USA FREEDOM Reauthorization Act of 2020, H.R. 6172. https://
    www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/6172/text/eh.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Section 301 of the draft USA FREEDOM Act, as engrossed by the House
    of Representatives, provided for a declassification process for all
    substantive opinions.
        ``Section 602 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978
    (50 U.S.C. 1872) shall apply with respect to each decision, order, or
    opinion issued by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court or the
    Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review before, on, or after
    the date of the enactment of such section. With respect to such
    decisions, orders, or opinions issued before or on such date, the
    Director of National Intelligence shall complete the declassification
    review and public release of each such decision, order, or opinion
    pursuant to such section by not later than one year after the date of
    the enactment of this Act.'' (emphasis added).
        The Senate passed identical language. As mentioned above, the House
    requested a conference committee to address other matters, but the
    Senate did not concur and the legislation died.
        We note there is ongoing litigation to provide for transparency
    concerning FISC opinions. A petition to the U.S. Supreme Court, filed
    by ACLU lawyers, former Solicitor General Ted Olson, the Knight First
    Amendment Institute at Columbia University, and the Media Freedom and
    Information Access Clinic at Yale University, ``argue[d] that the First
    Amendment gives the public a presumptive right of access to significant
    judicial opinions, including those of the FISC.'' \5\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \5\ The Public Should Have Access to the Surveillance Court's
    Opinions, by Charlie Hogle and Alex Abdo, Just Security (April 19,
    2021). https://www.justsecurity.org/75809/the-public-should-have-
    access-to-the-surveillance-courts-opinions/.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        This is a matter best resolved by Congress. The FISC is a creation
    of the Legislative branch and the determination of what should be made
    publicly available should be made by the people's representatives. In
    our view, such direction is best grounded in Congress's policy-making
    function, not the Court's remedial function concerning Constitutional
    violations.
        The Defense Appropriations Act for FY 2022 is the best route to
    address transparency concerning all significant FISC opinions. In
    addition, this request is within the scope of work traditionally
    performed by appropriators. We are requesting the Director of National
    Intelligence be directed to provide all significant decisions, orders,
    and opinions to appropriators pursuant to the already existing legal
    framework, and to make them publicly available as part of that process.
    Appropriators routinely request reports from agencies on matters of
    public interest and direct that they be publicly available. Because
    Defense Appropriations has jurisdiction over the Office of the Director
    of National Intelligence, we make this request of you.
        Please direct the Director of National Intelligence to report to
    Congress and to make publicly available all current and historical
    decisions, orders, and opinions as described in Section 402 of the USA
    Freedom Act of 2015 (50 U.S.C. 1871(a)(5)) within one year of enactment
    of the Appropriations Act.
        Thank you again for the opportunity to submit this testimony.
                                     ______

                      Prepared Statement of The HALO Trust
        Please Support $19 Million for the Humanitarian Demining Research
    and Development Program.
        As the world's largest humanitarian demining organization, The HALO
    Trust leads the effort to protect lives and restore livelihoods for
    those affected by conflict. We remove and destroy landmines and other
    explosive remnants of war and help secure weapons that could fall into
    the hands of terrorist groups. Since 2002, HALO has partnered with the
    U.S. Department of Defense's (DOD) Humanitarian Demining Research and
    Development (HD R&D) Program in more than ten countries and
    territories. This program, implemented by the U.S. Army, specializes in
    developing and testing innovative technologies to detect and clear
    landmines, unexploded ordnance (UXO), and improvised explosive devices
    (IEDs). These technologies increase the effectiveness, efficiency, and
    safety of demining operations for military and humanitarian use--saving
    lives and taxpayer money.
        The HD R&D team designs technologies to respond to technical
    challenges in the field, drawing from new commercial technology,
    equipment currently in use by the DOD, and advanced sensor technology
    available only through other DOD R&D programs. They then trial
    prototypes in real field conditions through partnerships with the
    Department of State's (DOS) humanitarian demining programs. During
    field evaluations, operators provide feedback on the functionality and
    effectiveness of the equipment. This allows HD R&D to modify and
    improve the equipment and increase the U.S. technical capacity to
    respond to explosive threats.
        HD R&D produces four specific outcomes. First, the field evaluation
    process collects data that helps to improve detection technologies used
    by the U.S. Armed Forces. Second, successfully trialed equipment is
    used to train and equip explosive disposal units of the U.S. military
    and allied militaries. By equipping partner militaries to address their
    own explosive threats, U.S. soldiers are more likely to remain out of
    harm's way. Third, HD R&D equipment saves civilian lives from
    landmines, most frequently children, and amplifies the impact of
    American assistance by increasing the amount of clearance performed on
    DOS projects without increasing costs. Fourth, the HD R&D program
    supports American jobs by utilizing American manufactured machines and
    products when possible in their equipment development process.
        The HD R&D Program has a track record of success, having performed
    nearly 240 operational field evaluations in 43 countries since 1995.
    The program is responsible for developing advanced technology for the
    Handheld Standoff Mine Detection System, which combines metal detection
    with ground penetrating radar, the rotary mine comb, designed to
    efficiently excavate low metal content anti-vehicle mines, and TRAXX,
    built to cut through hard-to-see tripwires and lift mines from soil.
    Overall, HD R&D equipment has been used to clear more than 19,000 acres
    of land, and to destroy more than 226,000 mines and UXO.
        As you know, HD R&D now receives funding from the following
    account: Research, Development, Test & Evaluation, Army/Advanced
    Component Development & Prototypes/PE: 0603920A/Program Title:
    Humanitarian Demining. Due to strong bipartisan support, the program
    received $17 million in Fiscal Year 2021. However, the FY22 President's
    Budget proposes only $8.649 million for HD R&D, which would represent a
    49% decrease from the previous year, and the lowest funding level in
    over ten years. This proposed funding reduction would substantially
    curtail the ability of the HD R&D program to develop necessary demining
    equipment that would otherwise create cost savings on State Department
    demining contracts and protect our soldiers.
        This program has a long list of unfunded projects it is waiting to
    trial, including anti-tank mine detection equipment in Afghanistan and
    magnetic technology in Iraq. Further, this program recently moved under
    Army Futures Command and will now be subject to an Army tax that will
    cut into its program budget, unless this new expense is offset through
    a higher appropriation this year. Thus, even flat funding the program
    at a level of $17 million would result in reduced resources for
    technological advances required by military and humanitarian deminers.
        We appreciate the support this subcommittee has provided for this
    valuable program, and urge the subcommittee to raise funding to a level
    of $19 million in FY22 for HD R&D. This additional funding will improve
    the ability of U.S. soldiers and our allies' ability to safely detect
    and clear landmines, UXO, and IEDs. This funding is especially
    important as new conflicts uncover new threats in areas like the Middle
    East, Libya, and Ukraine.
        Thank you for your consideration of this request.

        [This statement was submitted by Chris Whatley, Executive Director,
    The HALO Trust (USA).]
                                     ______

              Prepared Statement of the Melanoma Action Coalition
        Dear Chairman Tester and Ranking Member Shelby:
        The Melanoma Action Coalition thanks you for supporting the
    Defense-funded melanoma research in the Fiscal Year 2021 Defense
    Appropriations bill and requests that the Senate Defense Appropriations
    Subcommittee provide $40 million for melanoma research in the Fiscal
    2022 Department of Defense Appropriations bill. This program is funded
    within the Defense Health account.
        The Melanoma Action Coalition represents more than 40 community-
    based foundations and advocates nationwide focused on increasing
    awareness about melanoma, providing education about sun safety, and
    raising funds for melanoma research. Each of us has been touched
    personally by melanoma. Some of us are survivors; others have lost
    spouses or children to this disease. We are united by our dedication to
    working towards a time when no other individuals or families suffer the
    pain and loss that we have experienced.
        Melanoma is a unique and major threat to our military community,
    who carry out their missions in environments of extreme solar
    radiation. Decades of studies from WWII to the current generation of
    war fighters confirm the linkage of this exposure to the development of
    deadly melanoma. Continued innovation in melanoma prevention,
    detection, and treatment is only possible with continued investment in
    high quality research.
        A 2000 ``Annals of Epidemiology'' study comparing mortality among
    WWII veterans of the Pacific and European Theaters found that Pacific
    Theater Prisoner of War veterans had an estimated 3 times greater risk
    of dying from melanoma than veterans of the European Theater.\1\ The
    article concluded that these data are ``consistent with the hypothesis
    that exposure to high levels of solar radiation in young adulthood is
    associated with a higher risk of melanoma mortality.'' \2\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \1\ Page, William F., David Whiteman, and Michael Murphy. ``A
    comparison of melanoma mortality among WWII veterans of the Pacific and
    European theaters.'' Annals of epidemiology 10, no. 3 (2000): 192-195.
        \2\ Ibid.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        According to The Pulse, the online source for the Uniformed
    Services University, ``melanoma is the most significant cancer to
    affect the active duty military population.'' \3\ A Vanderbilt School
    of Medicine study cites that only 22 percent of military personnel were
    made aware of the risks of sun exposure, 77 percent reported being
    exposed to bright sunlight for more than 4 hours a day, and only 27
    percent had regular access to sunscreen.\4\ The study concluded that
    ``the past decade of United States' combat missions, including
    operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, have occurred at a more equatorial
    latitude than the mean center of the United States population,
    increasing the potential for ultraviolent irradiance and the
    development of skin cancer.'' \5\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \3\ Mason, V. (2018). Improving the Detection of Melanoma in Active
    Duty Military. [online] The Pulse. Available at: https://
    usupulse.blogspot.com/2018/02/improving-detection-of-melanoma-in.html
    [Accessed 26 Feb. 2020].
        \4\ Powers JG, Patel NA, Powers EM, Mayer JE, Stricklin GP, Geller
    AC. Skin cancer risk factors and preventative behaviors among United
    States military veterans deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan [published
    online ahead of print June 25, 2015]. J Invest Dermatol. doi: 10.1038/
    jid.2015.238.
        \5\ Ibid.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Recent studies have borne out these conclusions. A study published
    in the Military Service Monthly Report found that in a 10-year
    surveillance period from 2005 to 2014, malignant melanoma was one of
    the most frequent cancer diagnoses among male service members, and the
    second most frequent cancer diagnosis among female service members.\6\
    Another 2014 Military Medicine Study found that the overall incidence
    rate of melanoma in active duty military personnel between 2000 and
    2007 was 62 percent greater than among the general population during
    the same period.\7\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \6\ Lee, T., V. F. Williams, and L. L. Clark. ``Incident diagnoses
    of cancers in the active component and cancer-related deaths in the
    active and reserve components, US Armed Forces, 2005-2014.'' MSMR 23,
    no. 7 (2016): 23-31.
        \7\ Lea, C. Suzanne, Jimmy T. Efird, Amanda E. Toland, Denise R.
    Lewis, and Christopher J. Phillips. ``Melanoma incidence rates in
    active duty military personnel compared with a population-based
    registry in the United States, 2000-2007.'' (2014): 247-253.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Given the clear threat melanoma poses to our service members, and
    the volume of high-quality research proposals, the Melanoma Action
    Coalition respectfully requests that the committee provide $40 million
    for melanoma research in the Fiscal Year 2022 Defense Appropriations
    bill.
        Thank you for considering this important request. Should you have
    any questions, please contact me at:
    contact@melanomaactioncoalition.org.
        Sincerely.

        [This statement was submitted by Neil Spiegler, President, Melanoma
    Action
    Coalition.]
                                     ______

         Prepared Statement of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society
        Mr. Chairman and Members of the Subcommittee, thank you for this
    opportunity to provide testimony on behalf of the National Multiple
    Sclerosis Society (Society) regarding Department of Defense (DoD)
    Appropriations for fiscal year 202 (FY22). We are pleased to be able to
    discuss the importance of the research funded by the Multiple Sclerosis
    Research Program (MSRP) to those affected by MS.
        Thank you for the investment that you have provided for the MSRP.
    Past Committee investments have allowed the program to fund a new
    clinical trial award mechanism and expand its focus to identify
    triggers and risk factors for MS. As you consider funding priorities
    for FY22, we urge the Subcommittee to provide $20 million for the MS
    Research Program (MSRP) within the Congressionally Directed Medical
    Research Programs (CDMRP). This is the same funding level that Congress
    awarded the program last year and we believe that this funding level
    will ensure the greatest return on investment in the program and
    maintain funding consistency for MS researchers.
        Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an unpredictable, often disabling
    disease of the central nervous system that interrupts the flow of
    information within the brain, and between the brain and body. Symptoms
    range from numbness and tingling to blindness and paralysis. The
    progress, severity, and specific symptoms of MS in any one person
    cannot yet be predicted. Nearly one million Americans live with MS and
    most people with MS are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, with
    women being diagnosed at two to three times higher more often than men.
        The Society mission is to cure MS while empowering people affected
    by MS to live their best lives. To accomplish this, the Society funds
    cutting-edge research, drives change through advocacy, facilitates
    professional education, collaborates with MS organizations around the
    world, and provides programs and services designed to help people with
    MS and their families live their best lives. We see ourselves as a
    fundamental partner to the U.S. government in many critical areas--
    particularly in the arena of MS research. To date, the Society has
    invested over $1 billion dollars in research, and we work in
    coordination and collaboration with our federal partners at the
    National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the MSRP to ensure that the
    best research is funded and that there is no overlap or duplication.
        The CDMRP is a peer-reviewed program funded through the Department
    of Defense via the Defense Appropriations Act. Individual programs like
    the MSRP are funded at the direction of Congress and fill research gaps
    by funding high impact, high-risk and high gain projects that other
    research agencies--like the NIH, may not venture to fund. The CDMRPs
    are distinctive in that they involve active participation of people
    living with the program disease area. These patients and patient
    representatives are highly coveted roles, as they are involved in all
    areas of the program--from establishing the mission/vision of the
    program, to reviewing applications and making recommendations for
    funding, and evaluating the impact of the program. People living with
    MS value the opportunities within the MSRP as a way they can engage in
    the research process. The Society applauds the way MSRP structure is
    designed and believes that it aligns with the direction of patient
    centered drug development and care in the research and drug development
    ecosystem.
    MS Prevalence and Military Service
        The Society confirmed that nearly one million people are living
    with MS in the United States, more than twice the original estimate
    from previous studies.\1\ Extrapolating figures this estimate, we
    believe there are approximately 70,000 veterans in the U.S. that live
    with MS. Each year, the Veterans Health Administration provides care to
    more than 20,000 veterans living with MS. Additionally, between the
    years 2009-2018, over 2,400 active-duty service members, reserve, and
    National Guard members received a new diagnosis of MS within the
    military health system (MHS).\2\ Including other DOD beneficiaries such
    as former Service members and family members, the MHS had more than
    21,000 new cases of MS. During this period, more than 36,000 DOD
    beneficiaries had over 1.1 million outpatient encounters and 537,000
    hospital bed days for MS within the MHS.\3\ In addition, the Department
    of Veterans Affairs Multiple Sclerosis Centers of Excellence, East and
    West branches, serve approximately 49,000 Veterans with MS.\4\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \1\ Mitchell T. Wallin, William J. Culpepper, Jonathan D. Campbell,
    Lorene M. Nelson, Annette Langer-Gould, Ruth Ann Marrie, Gary R.
    Cutter, Wendy E. Kaye, Laurie Wagner, Helen Tremlett, Stephen L. Buka,
    Piyameth Dilokthornsakul, Barbara Topol, Lie H. Chen, Nicholas G.
    LaRocca. Neurology Mar 2019, 92 (10) e1029-e1040; DOI: 10.1212/
    WNL.0000000000007035.
        \2\ Williams VF, Stahlman S, Ying S. 2017. Multiple sclerosis among
    service members of the active and reserve components of the U.S. Armed
    Forces and among other beneficiaries of the Military Health System,
    2007-2016. MSMR Aug; 24(8): 2-11.
        \3\ Data includes both direct care (care received at Military
    Treatment Facilities) and purchased care (care received at Civilian
    facilities that is covered by TRICARE). Data does not include care
    received while deployed, or any care received outside of the Military
    Health System that was not processed through TRICARE.
        \4\ Gromisch ES, et al. Who is not coming to clinic? A predictive
    model of excessive missed appointments in persons with multiple
    sclerosis. Mult Scler Relat Disord. 2020 Feb;38:101513.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        MS is considered a presumptive condition and veterans who have
    symptoms of MS in the military or within seven years after honorable
    discharge are eligible for the service-connected status. To date,
    approximately 12,000 U.S. veterans have a service-connected disability
    for MS, meaning that their MS was incurred or aggravated during their
    military service. An advisory committee by the Veterans Administration
    recommended further study into the potential link between combat
    service and increased risk of developing MS. The Society supports this
    recommendation and believes that more research is needed that examines
    the longer time impact for those who have served, from veterans from
    the Vietnam War through to those who served in Operation Enduring
    Freedom, Iraqi Freedom and New Dawn. To appropriately monitor this
    cohort of servicemen and women, the Society recommends that Congress
    ensure that information and data can be easily shared between the U.S.
    Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense. Because
    the demographics of the military have changed over the past several
    decades, it is more critical these two Agencies can share data in real
    time to examine health impacts and needs by age, race, ethnicity and
    sex/gender.
        Research into the underlying causes of MS and improving methods of
    diagnosing, treating and potentially curing MS is critical to improving
    the lives of those serving in the military and all of those living with
    MS. As the underlying cause of MS is still unknown, MSRP funded
    research will help improve knowledge about those currently serving in
    the military who can be deployed to areas and environments that may
    increase the risk of developing neurologic diseases like MS. Further,
    MRSP supported projects will also improve understanding on how to
    counter these environmental triggers to improve the readiness and
    deployability for future service personnel.
    Multiple Sclerosis Research Program
        The MRSP was established by Congress in 2009. Its vision is to
    prevent, cure, reverse, or slow the progression, and lessen the
    personal and societal impact of MS. Like many of the other programs
    within the CDMRP, the MSRP specifically encourages applications that
    address critical needs of the MS community and concentrate on: the
    biological basis of disease progression, risk factors leading to the
    prevention of MS, drug discovery and biomarkers for preclinical
    detection of MS. MSRP research has led to four patent applications and
    patents. To date, Congress has appropriated approximately $73.1 million
    dollars to the MSRP, including $16 million for FY20. The total MSRP
    investment since 2009 has funded 111 awards, 98 projects, 4 clinical
    trials and 3 patents. MSRP funded investigators have been awarded 47
    follow-up research grants from federal and non-federal research
    partners, including the NIH and the Society, totaling over $34 million
    to build on and advance knowledge gained from the initial MSRP funded
    grant.
        MSRP funds studies that examine gap in MS from basic science to
    rehabilitation research. A particular area of interest in MS research
    is imaging technology, as diagnosis of MS and tracking disease
    progression remains challenging, both for active-duty military
    personnel, veterans and civilians. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is
    often used by health care providers to track disease activity.
    Currently, MRI findings are not accepted by the Food and Drug
    Administration as indicators of clinical meaningfulness in the MS drug
    development and approval process and more research is needed in the
    form of more long-term studies correlating brain MRI with disability
    progression.
        Additionally, a growing body of evidence have implicated
    environmental, genetic factors, age, and microbial infections in the
    development of MS. Recent MRSP funded studies have examined
    alternations in the gut microbiota and suggest that these alterations
    influence the onset and progression of autoimmune diseases like MS.
    This information will be incredibly useful to people with MS, who often
    ask about the impact of dietary and lifestyle changes to help manage MS
    symptoms and reduce the occurrence of relapses.
        This body of research that will improve MS diagnosis and the drug
    development process, by answering questions that are important to
    people living with MS. Further, MSRP funded research allows the
    healthcare system to better track disease progression and activity,
    allowing healthcare providers in both the military and civilian
    populations to better anticipate the needs of people living with MS.
    The clinical application of the research done at MSRP is particularly
    important--as MRSP also funds novel research to expedite much needed
    symptom management treatments for those living with MS. Further, the
    clinical application of this research will facilitate better
    conversations surrounding troop readiness and the ability of an
    individual to deploy.
        Due to the impact the MSRP has had on driving both novel research
    into MS and its focus on funding innovative research focused on the
    development of potential therapies to improve diagnosis and treatment
    of MS, the Society requests that Congress continue to fund the MSRP at
    $20 million in FY22.
        On behalf of the Society, thank you to this Committee for its
    investment in the CDMRP, particularly the MSRP. We appreciate the
    opportunity to provide written testimony and our recommendations for
    FY22 appropriations for the program. The MSRP is of vital importance to
    people living with MS and we look forward to continuing to work with
    the Committee to help move us closer to a world free of MS.

        [This statement was submitted by Leslie Ritter, Associate Vice
    President, Federal Government Relations, National Multiple Sclerosis
    Society.]
                                     ______

              Prepared Statement of the Neurofibromatosis Network
        Thank you for the opportunity to submit testimony to the
    Subcommittee on the importance of continued funding for the Department
    of Defense's Peer-reviewed Neurofibromatosis (NF) Research Program
    (NFRP). NF is a terrible genetic disorder closely linked to many common
    diseases widespread among the American population. The highly
    successful Neurofibromatosis Research Program has shown tangible
    results and direct military application with broad implications for the
    general population.
        On behalf of the Neurofibromatosis (NF) Network, a national
    organization of NF advocacy groups, I speak on behalf of the 120,000
    Americans who suffer from NF as well as the millions of Americans who
    suffer from diseases and conditions linked to NF such as cancer, brain
    tumors, heart disease, memory loss, bone abnormalities, deafness,
    blindness, and psychosocial disabilities, such as autism and learning
    disabilities. Thanks in large part to this Subcommittee's strong
    support, scientists have made enormous progress since the discovery of
    the NF1 gene in 1990 resulting in clinical trials now being undertaken
    by the NFRP.
        In Fiscal Year 2022, we are requesting at least $25 million to
    continue the Army's highly successful Neurofibromatosis Research
    Program (NFRP). The NFRP is now conducting clinical trials at nation-
    wide clinical trials centers created by NFRP funding. These clinical
    trials involve drugs that have already succeeded in eliminating tumors
    in humans and rescuing learning deficits in mice. In addition, in March
    2020, the Food and Drug Administration approved the first ever drug,
    co-developed by NIH and AstraZeneca, with seed money from the NFRP, for
    the treatment of plexiform tumors in neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1).
    Administrators of the Army program have stated that the number of high-
    quality scientific applications justify a much larger program. For
    these reasons, it is imperative that we continue to invest in research
    if we are to advance toward treatments and a cure for the numerous
    diseases associated with NF.
                           what is neurofibromatosis?
        NF is an unpredictable genetic disorder of the nervous system that
    affects almost every organ system in the body. There are three types of
    NF: NF1, which is more common, NF2, which initially involves tumors
    causing deafness and balance problems, and Schwannomatosis, the
    hallmark of which is severe pain. NF causes tumors to grow along nerves
    including in the skin, just below the skin, and in the brain and spinal
    cord. NF is the most common neurological disorder caused by a single
    gene and affects more people than Cystic Fibrosis, hereditary Muscular
    Dystrophy, Huntington's disease and Tay Sachs combined. It strikes
    worldwide, without regard to gender, race or ethnicity. Approximately
    50 percent of new NF cases result from a spontaneous mutation in an
    individual's genes and 50 percent are inherited.
        NF can cause a myriad of devastating clinical problems including
    nerve and brain tumors; disfiguring skin growths; inability to heal
    after bone fracture, which may ultimately require amputation;
    psychosocial disabilities, including autism and learning disabilities;
    unmanageable chronic pain; deafness; blindness; cardiovascular defects;
    vascular disease; and paralysis. NF gene mutations are also important
    'drivers' of cancers in the lungs, liver, brain and breast.
                        nf's connection to the military
        Neurofibromatosis (NF) has become a clinical 'model' for advancing
    medical research. The genetic information learned from NF holds the key
    to understanding a number of health issues that benefit the war
    fighter, as well as the general population, including cancer, bone
    fracture and repair, vascular disease, nerve regeneration, behavior and
    psychosocial issues, and pain.
        The Neurofibromatosis Research Program (NFRP) is providing critical
    research that directly benefits the War Fighter including:
        Bone Repair.--At least a quarter of children with NF1 have abnormal
    bone growth in any part of the skeleton. In the legs, the long bones
    are weak, prone to fracture and unable to heal properly; this can
    require amputation at a young age. Adults with NF1 can have low bone
    mineral density, placing them at risk of skeletal weakness and injury.
    The NFRP is a strong supporter of NF1 bone defects research and as a
    result this field has made significant progress in the past few years.
    Bone fractures sustained by the war fighter and how to repair them is
    of interest to the military. Research studies will identify new
    information about understanding bone biology and repair and will pave
    the way to new strategies to enhancing bone health and facilitating
    repair.
        Pain.--Severe and unmanageable pain is seen in all forms of NF,
    particularly in schwannomatosis, and significantly impacts quality of
    life. NF research has shown similarities between NF pain and phantom
    limb pain. NFRP funding has been critical in supporting this. Chronic
    pain, and how to treat it effectively, is one of the most poorly
    understood areas of medicine but has very high relevance to those in
    the military recovering from service-related injuries. NF Research in
    this area could help identify new ways to target pain effectively with
    the right drugs or therapies.
        Vascular Disease.--NF1 elevates the risk of vascular disease
    including aneurysm, stroke and vessel occlusive disease. NF1
    predisposes patients to early cardiovascular disease, which is also the
    leading cause of death among United States Veterans. NF research has
    demonstrated that when treating affected NF mouse models with an
    antioxidant medication it reduced vessel disease. Discoveries related
    to cardiovascular disease in NF1 are likely to be more broadly
    informative, including for veterans and active duty military personnel.
        Psychosocial and Cognitive Disabilities.--In the last couple of
    years, NFRP research has revealed common threads between NF1 learning
    disabilities, autism and other related disabilities. Research being
    done within the NF Clinical Trials Consortium, NFRP created clinical
    centers, has led to important findings and expanded research in this
    area. This research contributes to our broadening understanding of how
    brain signaling can impact on behavior and psychosocial difficulties.
    Members of the military returning from service can suffer from
    psychological trauma and it is not easy to understand how this can be
    effectively treated. As we learn more from the NF population about
    psychosocial function, we will be able to shed light on this area for
    the benefit of the military.
        Nerve Tumors and Repair.--Nerves are the most common location for
    tumor development amongpatients with NF1, NF2, and schwannomatosis.
    Tumor growth alone, or treatments for the same, commonly cause nerve
    injury and associated deficits. Identifying mechanisms to improve nerve
    repair would benefit patients with NF, as well as advance the science
    needed to better treat nerve injury common in warfighters.
                     the army's contribution to nf research
        While other federal agencies support medical research, the
    Department of Defense (DOD) fills a special role by providing peer-
    reviewed funding for innovative and rewarding medical research through
    the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP). CDMRP
    research grants are awarded to researchers in every state in the
    country through a competitive two-tier review process. These well-
    executed and efficient programs, including the NFRP, demonstrate the
    government's responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars.
        Recognizing NF's importance to both the military and to the general
    population, Congress has given the Army's NF Research Program strong
    bipartisan support. From FY1996 through FY2021 funding for the NFRP has
    amounted to $382.85 million, in addition to the original $8 million
    appropriated in FY1992. In addition, between FY1996 and FY2019, 430
    awards have been granted to researchers across the country.
        The Army program funds innovative, groundbreaking research which
    would not otherwise have been pursued, and has produced major advances
    in NF research, including conducting clinical trials in a nation-wide
    clinical trials infrastructure created by NFRP funding, development of
    advanced animal models, and preclinical therapeutic experimentation.
    Because of the enormous advances that have been made as a result of the
    Army's NF Research Program, research in NF has truly become one of the
    great success stories in the current revolution in molecular genetics.
    In addition, the program has brought new researchers into the field of
    NF. However, despite this progress, Army officials administering the
    program have indicated that they could easily fund more applications if
    funding were available because of the high quality of the research
    applications received.
        In order to ensure maximum efficiency, the Army collaborates
    closely with other federal agencies that are involved in NF research,
    such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Senior program staff
    from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
    (NINDS), for example, sit on the Army's NF Research Program Integration
    Panel which sets the long-term vision and funding strategies for the
    program. This assures the highest scientific standard for research
    funding, efficiency and coordination while avoiding duplication or
    overlapping of research efforts.
        Thanks in large part to this Subcommittee's support, scientists
    have made enormous progress since the discovery of the NF1 gene. Major
    advances in just the past few years have ushered in an exciting era of
    clinical and translational research in NF with broad implications for
    the general population. These recent advances have included:
      --In March 2020 the Food and Drug Administration approved the first
            ever drug, co-developed by NIH and AstraZeneca, with seed money
            from the NFRP, for the treatment of plexiform tumors in
            neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1).
      --Phase II and Phase III clinical trials involving new drug therapies
            for both cancer, hearing tumors, vision tumors, bone graft and
            cognitive disorders.
      --Establishment of the Neurofibromatosis Clinical Trial Consortium
            which includes an operation center and 25 clinical sites.
            Allows for partnerships with well-established NF Centers,
            pooling expertise and resources, quicker turn arounds of
            scientific reviews and regulatory approvals, leveraged work
            with pharmaceutical companies all towards the common goal of
            new treatments and a cure for Neurofibromatosis.
      --Successful elimination of tumors in NF1 and NF2 mice with the same
            drug.
      --Development of advanced mouse models showing human symptoms.
      --Rescue of learning deficits in mice with an already existing well
            known drug.
      --Determination of the biochemical, molecular function of the NF
            genes and gene products.
      --Connection of NF to numerous diseases because of NF's impact on
            many body functions.
                            fiscal year 2022 request
        The Army's highly successful NF Research Program has shown tangible
    results and direct military application with broad implications for the
    general population. The program has now advanced to the translational
    and clinical research stages, which are the most promising, yet the
    most expensive direction that NF research has taken. Therefore,
    continued funding is needed to continue to build on the successes of
    this program, and to fund this promising research thereby continuing
    the enormous return on the taxpayers' investment.
        We respectfully request that you include at least $25 million in
    the Fiscal Year 2022 Department of Defense Appropriations bill for the
    Peer-reviewed Neurofibromatosis Research Program. With this
    subcommittee's continued support, we will prevail. Thank you for your
    support.

        [This statement was submitted by Kim Bischoff, Executive Director,
    Neurofibromatosis Network.]
                                     ______

      Prepared Statement of the Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance and the
                        Society of Gynecologic Oncology
        The Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance (OCRA) and the Society of
    Gynecologic Oncology (SGO) thank the Subcommittee for the opportunity
    to submit comments for the record regarding our funding recommendations
    for the Department of Defense Ovarian Cancer Research Program, which is
    under the Department of Defense Congressionally Directed Medical
    Research Program. We respectfully request a funding level of $45
    million for the Department of Defense Ovarian Cancer Research Program
    in Fiscal Year 2022.
        The Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance (OCRA) works every day to fund
    cures, foster community, further conversations and, ultimately, the
    cause. OCRA is the oldest and largest global organization dedicated to
    fighting ovarian cancer. We advance research to prevent, treat and
    defeat ovarian cancer. We support women and their families before,
    during and beyond diagnosis. And we work with all levels of government
    to ensure that eradicating ovarian cancer is a priority.
        The Society of Gynecologic Oncology (SGO) is a national medical
    specialty organization of physicians who are trained in the
    comprehensive management of women with malignancies of the reproductive
    tract. The SGO's mission is to prevent and treat gynecologic cancers
    with equity, thereby improving lives through advocacy, engagement,
    education, research, and collaboration. The SGO's strategic goals
    include advancing the prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment of
    gynecologic cancers by establishing and promoting standards of
    excellence.
                       ovarian cancer's deadly statistics
        Ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related death
    in women and the deadliest gynecologic cancer. The American Cancer
    Society estimates that in 2021, approximately 21,410 women in the U.S.
    will receive a new diagnosis of ovarian cancer and approximately 13,770
    women will die from the disease. Nearly 25 percent of women diagnosed
    with ovarian cancer will die within a year, and less than 50 percent
    will survive five years. There is currently no early detection test for
    ovarian cancer so more than 85 percent of women are diagnosed at late
    stage when survival is significantly decreased. When women experience a
    disease recurrence there are limited treatment options with life
    altering side effects and suboptimal efficacy.
                    ovarian cancer's impact on the military
        Of the 850,000 female service members, wives of active duty
    military and adult daughters of active duty military, approximately
    11,800 will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer over the course of their
    lifetimes. Over the last five years alone, nearly 2,600 members of our
    military or their families have been hospitalized for ovarian cancer or
    suspected ovarian cancer. It is clear that the cost of ovarian cancer
    to our military is great, not only in terms of troop readiness, but
    also in terms of cancer care costs: treating all of these cases of
    ovarian cancer over these patients' lifetimes could cost TRICARE an
    estimated $971.2 million. Therefore, it is imperative that the
    Department of Defense pursues the scientific discoveries that help
    readiness and address both the personal and economic costs of ovarian
    cancer.
        dod ocrp: a program that complements non-defense ovarian cancer
                                    research
        The Department of Defense Ovarian Cancer Research Program (DoD
    OCRP) was initiated in Fiscal Year 1997 to support high-impact,
    cutting-edge research that fills unmet needs. The DoD OCRP establishes
    priorities to target the most critical needs along the research
    development pipeline from basic to translational to clinical research,
    including clinical trials, and to push the field of ovarian cancer
    forward through its vision to ``eliminate ovarian cancer''.
        The DoD OCRP complements but does not duplicate the important
    ovarian cancer research carried out by the National Cancer Institute
    (NCI). First, the DoD OCRP funds innovative, high risk, high reward
    research which many large, non-DoD Federal research agencies do not
    have the flexibility to engage in. For ovarian cancer research, we
    believe that the DoD OCRP is the sole funding source for innovative,
    groundbreaking research with an emphasis on promoting readiness for
    military members and their families as well as the overall health of
    citizens of the United States and the world.
        Second, the DoD OCRP is designed to prevent funding research that
    overlaps with other ovarian cancer research that has been funded by the
    NCI, other agencies, or private foundations. Before funding an award,
    DoD OCRP grant managers at the DoD are required to thoroughly check all
    sources of information to determine if a proposal is redundant of a
    previous DoD OCRP grant or a grant awarded by another federal agency
    such as the NCI or by a private foundation.
        Third, the DoD OCRP pushes investigators to make rapid progress in
    their research by requiring them to reapply every funding cycle.
    Because proposal reviews conducted by the DoD OCRP are double blinded
    by investigator and research institution, an investigator's progress is
    evaluated on its own merit and must have sufficient new findings, data,
    or ideas to warrant new funding.
        Cancer research performed by the DoD has been responsible for
    fundamentally changing the way cancer research is conducted. Many
    innovative practices and methods created by the Congressionally
    Directed Medical Research Programs have been adopted by the other
    research agencies, such as the use of cancer patients as consumer
    reviewers in the proposal review process.
        Also, the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program has
    created funding mechanisms to incentivize research, such as the Idea
    Award, that fills voids in our understanding of cancer. Additionally,
    large ovarian cancer research teams do not exist in many academic
    medical or research centers. In order to provide much needed mentoring,
    networking and a peer group for young ovarian cancer researchers, the
    DoD OCRP created an Ovarian Cancer Academy award in Fiscal Year 2009.
    The DoD OCRP Ovarian Cancer Academy is growing and meeting its
    potential of developing a unique, interactive virtual academy that
    provides intensive mentoring, national networking, and a peer group for
    junior faculty. The overarching goal of this award is to develop young
    scientists into the next generation of successful and highly productive
    ovarian cancer
        researchers within a collaborative and interactive research
    training environment including collaboration with research conducted at
    military healthcare institutions.
                 discoveries and advancements in ovarian cancer
        From Fiscal Year 1997-Fiscal Year 2020, the DoD OCRP has received
    $371.5 million in Congressional appropriations. Through Fiscal Year
    2019, the DoD OCRP has funded 479 research awards, resulting in over
    1,583 peer-reviewed publications and 103 patent applications. The DoD
    OCRP has funded key studies that have led to several new discoveries
    and advancements in the treatment and understanding of ovarian cancer.
    These advancements have spanned treatment with FDA approval of
    rucaparib, an oral therapy for treatment of advanced ovarian cancer, to
    OVA1, a blood test combined with imaging that can better identify
    patients at high risk for malignant ovarian cancer. The studies have
    also served as the basis for the universal ovarian cancer patient
    genetic testing recommendations.
        future direction and strategic goals in ovarian cancer research
        The DoD OCRP's Strategic Plan is centered around the scope of the
    ovarian cancer problem affecting military and veteran populations and
    all women affected by the disease, as well as the pressing research
    gaps faced by the ovarian cancer community. The DoD OCRP's ultimate
    goal is to prevent, detect, treat, and cure ovarian cancer. The
    following research goals identified in the DoD OCRP Strategic Plan are
    critically important to improving patient care and winning the war
    against this deadly disease:
      --Promote readiness for military members and their families as well
            as the overall health of citizens of the United States and the
            world.
      --Enhance and sustain the pool of ovarian cancer scientists.
      --Promote research that will address health disparities and improve
            access to quality care and the physical and psychosocial well-
            being of those diagnosed with ovarian cancer.
      --Utilize precision medicine and computational approaches that
            identify individual tumor characteristics and predictive
            biomarkers across diverse groups to optimize patient care and
            outcomes.
      --Develop or improve the performance of screening and diagnostic
            approaches.
      --Understand the precursor lesion/stem cell, microenvironment, and
            pathogenesis/progression of all types of ovarian cancer,
            including rare subtypes.
      --Develop and validate models to understand initiation, progression,
            metastasis, treatment response, and recurrence of ovarian
            cancer.
      --Increase long-term survivorship and improve quality of life
            throughout the continuum of ovarian cancer care.
      --Promote research that focuses on cancer risk and primary
            prevention.
      --Investigate tumor and host response to therapy, including tumor
            survival, dormancy, cell death, clonal evolution, resistance,
            and immune factors.
      --Promote synergistic team science, including: the OCRP Ovarian
            Cancer Academy supporting early career ovarian cancer
            investigators, consortia, and collaboration with intramural and
            extramural DoD programs.
             the impact of the covid-19 pandemic on cancer research
        The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating effect on cancer
    research in addition to the tremendous public health and economic toll
    it has extracted. A new study published in January of this year in the
    Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Network Open
    indicates that during the first wave of the pandemic last spring, the
    number of newly launched cancer treatment studies dropped by 60%, and
    that does not include the number of cancer trials that were suspended,
    delayed, or in which enrollment rates were drastically reduced.
    According to the JAMA article, the number of ongoing trials fell by
    approximately 50% last spring.
        For these reasons, The Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance and the
    Society of Gynecologic Oncology are requesting a $10 million increase
    for the DoD Peer-Reviewed Ovarian Cancer Research Program, resulting in
    a total funding request of $45 million in FY 2022, to preserve current
    investments in ovarian cancer research and continue the program's
    successful work to improve prevention, early diagnosis, and survival
    rates from ovarian cancer.
                                   conclusion
        The Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance and the Society of Gynecologic
    Oncology maintain a long-standing commitment to work with Congress, the
    Administration, and other policymakers and stakeholders to improve the
    survival rate from ovarian cancer through education, public policy,
    research, and communication. Please know that we appreciate and
    understand that our nation faces many challenges and that Congress has
    limited resources to allocate; however, we owe it to those who bravely
    served our country to pursue promising research that will improve
    treatments for ovarian cancer and improve the survival rate from this
    deadly disease.
        On behalf of the entire ovarian cancer community--patients, family
    members, clinicians, and researchers--we thank you for your leadership
    and support for federal programs that seek to reduce and prevent
    suffering from ovarian cancer. Thank you in advance for your support
    for $45 million for the Department of Defense Ovarian Cancer Research
    Program in FY 2022.

           LIST OF WITNESSES, COMMUNICATIONS, AND PREPARED STATEMENTS

                                  ----------
                                                                       Page

    Adirim, Dr. Terry, Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for
      Health Affairs, Department of Defense..........................    47
        Prepared Statement of........................................    50
        Questions Submitted to.......................................    84
        Summary Statement of.........................................    49

    Bellon, Lieutenant General David G., Commander, U.S. Marine Corps
      Reserve, Department of Defense.................................   100
        Prepared Statement of........................................   102
    Berger, General David H., Commandant, United States Marine Corps,
      Department of Defense..........................................   296
        Prepared Statement of........................................   298
        Questions Submitted to.......................................   331
    Blunt, Senator Roy, U.S. Senator From Missouri, Questions Submitted
    by

    Boozman, Senator John, U.S. Senator From Arkansas, Questions
      Submitted by...................................................   337
    Brown, General Charles Q., Jr., Chief of Staff, United States Air
      Force, Department of Defense...................................   180
        Prepared Statement of........................................   183
        Questions Submitted to.......................................   224

    Coalition for National Security Research, Prepared Statement of
      the............................................................   367
    Collins, Senator Susan M., U.S. Senator From Maine, Questions
      Submitted by

    Consortium for Ocean Leadership, Prepared Statement of the.......   370
    Crites, Vice Admiral Randy B., Prepared Statement of.............   342

    Daniels, Lieutenant General Jody J., Chief, U.S. Army Reserve,
      Department of Defense..........................................   112
        Prepared Statement of........................................   114
    Dingle, Lieutenant General R. Scott, Surgeon General, Department
      of the Army, Department of Defense.............................    57
        Prepared Statement of........................................    58
        Questions Submitted to.......................................    91
    Durbin, Senator Richard J., U.S. Senator From Illinois, Questions
      Submitted by

    Feinstein, Senator Dianne, U.S. Senator From California,
      Questions Submitted by

    Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, Prepared Statement of
      the............................................................   374

    Gilday, Admiral Michael, Chief of Naval Operations, United States
      Navy, Department of Defense....................................   283
        Prepared Statement of........................................   285
        Questions Submitted to.......................................   330
    Gillingham, Rear Admiral Bruce L., Surgeon General, Department of
      the Navy, Department of Defense................................    67
        Prepared Statement of........................................    69
        Questions Submitted to.......................................    93
    Graham, Senator Lindsey, U.S. Senator From South Carolina,
      Questions Submitted by.........................................   263

    HALO Trust, Prepared Statement of The............................   375
    Harker, Hon. Thomas W., Acting Secretary, Office of the
      Secretary, Department of the Navy, Department of Defense.......   273
        Prepared Statement of........................................   276
        Questions Submitted to.......................................   321
        Summary Statement of.........................................   274
    Hoeven, Senator John, U.S. Senator From North Dakota, Questions
      Submitted by

    Hogg, Lieutenant General Dorothy A., Surgeon General, Department
      of the Air Force, Department of Defense........................    63
        Prepared Statement of........................................    64
        Questions Submitted to.......................................    95
    Hokanson, General Daniel R., Chief, U.S. National Guard Bureau,
      Department of Defense..........................................   118
        Prepared Statement of........................................   120
        Questions Submitted to.......................................   171

    Kilby, Vice Admiral James, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for
      Warfighting Requirements and Capabilities, Department of
      Defense........................................................   341
        Prepared Statement of........................................   342

    Leahy, Senator Patrick, U.S. Senator From Vermont, Questions
      Submitted by

    McConnell, Senator Mitch, U.S. Senator From Kentucky, Questions
      Submitted by...................................................   267
    McConville, General James C., Army Chief of Staff, Department of
      Defense........................................................   234
        Prepared Statement of........................................   235
        Questions Submitted to.......................................   263
    McQuiston, Ms. Barbara, Performing the Duties of the Under
      Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, Department
      of Defense.....................................................     1
        Prepared Statement of........................................     4
        Questions Submitted to.......................................    42
        Summary Statement of.........................................     3
    Melanoma Action Coalition, Prepared Statement of the.............   376
    Moran, Senator Jerry, U.S. Senator From Kansas, Questions
      Submitted by

    Murkowski, Senator Lisa, U.S. Senator From Alaska, Questions
      Submitted by

    Murray, Senator Patty, U.S. Senator From Washington, Questions
      Submitted by

    Mustin, Vice Admiral John B., Chief, U.S. Navy Reserve,
      Department of Defense..........................................   127
        Prepared Statement of........................................   129

    Nahom, Lieutenant General David S., Deputy Chief of Staff for
      Plans and Programs, U.S. Air Force, Department of Defense......   346
        Prepared Statement of........................................   347
    National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Prepared Statement of the...   377
    Neurofibromatosis Network, Prepared Statement of the.............   379

    Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance and the Society of Gynecologic
      Oncology, Prepared Statement of the............................   382

    Raymond, General John W., Chief of Space Operations, United
      States Space Force, Department of Defense......................   182
        Prepared Statement of........................................   183
        Questions Submitted to.......................................   227
    Roth, Hon. John P., Acting Secretary, Office of the Secretary,
      Department of the Air Force, Department of Defense.............   177
        Prepared Statement of........................................   183
        Questions Submitted to.......................................   221
        Summary Statement of.........................................   178

    Schatz, Senator Brian, U.S. Senator From Hawaii, Questions
      Submitted by...................................................   222
    Scobee, Lieutenant General Richard W., Chief, U.S. Air Force
      Reserve, Department of Defense.................................   136
        Prepared Statement of........................................   138
        Questions Submitted to.......................................   175
    Shaheen, Senator Jeanne, U.S. Senator From New Hampshire,
      Questions Submitted by

    Shelby, Senator Richard C., U.S. Senator From Alabama:
        Prepared Statement of........................................   180
        Statement of

    Tester, Senator Jon, U.S. Senator From Montana, Opening Statement
      of

    Tompkins, Dr. Stefanie, Director, Defense Advanced Research
      Projects Agency, Department of Defense.........................    21
        Prepared Statement of........................................    22
        Questions Submitted to.......................................    44

    Wormuth, Hon. Christine E., Secretary, Office of the Secretary,
      Department of the Army, Department of Defense..................   231
        Prepared Statement of........................................   235
        Questions Submitted to.......................................   259
        Summary Statement of.........................................   232

                                 SUBJECT INDEX

                                  ----------

                             DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

                             Defense Health Program

                                                                       Page

    Additional Committee Questions...................................    84
    Air Force Medical Service COVID-19 Response......................    65
    Aligning Strategy, Priorities and Resources......................    69
    Army Medicine:
        2028.........................................................    58
        Strategy.....................................................    59
    Commitment to Military Health System Transition and
      Transformation.................................................    66
    COVID-19 Response................................................    50
    Delivering Care to Our Warfighters...............................    65
    Effect of:
        Higher Copays on Demand and Accessibility of Mental Health
          Services...................................................    77
        New Enrollment Fees on TRICARE Participation.................    77
    Health Issues Associated with Burn Pits..........................    83
    Keeping Medical Airmen Ready to Deliver Care.....................    66
    Medical Research and Development.................................    55
    MHS:
        GENESIS Implementation.......................................    54
        Reforms and Transition.......................................    53
    Moving Forward...................................................    76
    New Frontiers and New Domains....................................    67
    Other Significant Health Initiatives.............................    55
    Overall FY22 Budget..............................................    56
    Projecting Medical Power.........................................    71
    Responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic..............................    70
    Statistics on:
        Anthrax Infections/Hospitalizations/Deaths within the TRICARE
          Population.................................................    82
        COVID-19 Infections/Hospitalizations/Deaths within the
          TRICARE Population.........................................    82
    TRICARE 5th Generation Contracts (T-5)...........................    54
                                   __________

                        Defense Innovation and Research

    Additional Committee Questions...................................    42
    Artificial Intelligence..........................................    13
    Biotechnology....................................................    15
    Creating and Promoting New Technologies..........................    13
    Cyber............................................................    14
    Defense:
        Innovation Unit Transitions Commercial Technologies to the
          Warfighter.................................................     6
        Manufacturing Base, The......................................    10
    Directed Energy..................................................    16
    Facilitating Transitions.........................................     5
    Fully Networked Command, Control & Communications (FNC3).........    16
    Growing the Pipeline of Science, Technology, Engineering, and
      Mathematics (STEM) Talent......................................     8
    How Small Business Innovation in DoD Helps America Broadly.......    10
    Hypersonics......................................................    17
    International Partnerships.......................................    12
    Leveraging International Talent..................................     9
    Missile Defense:
        Agency.......................................................    18
        and Space Development Agencies...............................    18
    Mission Engineering..............................................     7
    Our Commitment to Diversity......................................     9
    Prototyping Pathways to Deliver Innovation to Users..............     5
    Quantum Science..................................................    18
    Role of Small Business, The......................................     9
    Space............................................................    18
        Development Agency...........................................    20
    Strengthening Our Defense Research Base..........................    11
    Supporting DoD'S MIIS Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic..........    11
    Technology:
        Protection...................................................    12
        Transitioned By OUSD(R&E) That is Making a Difference for the
          Warfighter.................................................     6
    TRMC Delivers Capability for test and Evaluation.................     8
    Utilizing Hiring Flexibilities...................................     9
    Where Innovation Research and Technology Begins..................     8
                                   __________

                          Department of the Air Force

                            Office of the Secretary

    The Department of the Air Force..................................   183
    A Department of the Air Force for 2030...........................   185
    Empowered Airmen & Guardians.....................................   184

    United States Air Force..........................................   186
    Air Superiority..................................................   187
    America's Air Force for 2030.....................................   193
    Global Strike....................................................   187
    Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR).............   190
    New Approaches...................................................   191
    Rapid Global Mobility............................................   189
    Vision for Change--America's Air Force for 2030..................   186

    United States Space Force........................................   194
    Accelerating Capability Design, Decision, & Delivery.............   196
    Additional Committee Questions...................................   221
    Air:
        Force Readiness Improvements.................................   225
        National Guard Flying Squadrons..............................   224
    Assured Access to Space..........................................   200
    Command and Control (C2).........................................   198
    Creating A Digital Service.......................................   196
    Developing and Caring for Guardians..............................   195
    Fairchild AFB Future Missions....................................   222
    Federal Clean Energy Electricity Standard........................   222
    F-15 Upgrades Requestors.........................................   225
    Future C-130 Force Structure and the 139th Airlift Wing at
      Rosecrans Air National Guard Base, The.........................   223
    MH-139 Procurement Requestors....................................   223
    Minot AFB Weapons Generation Facility............................   227
    Missile Warning and Missile Tracking.............................   197
    Positioning, Navigation, and Timing..............................   198
    Role of C-130s, The..............................................   223
    RQ-4 Global Hawk Requestors......................................   227
    Securing an Enduring Advantage...................................   194
    Space:
        Force Readiness Improvements.................................   227
        Training and Readiness Command...............................   222
    Tactical Airlift Aircraft Requestors

    Value of Partnerships............................................   195
    Way Forward......................................................   200
                                   __________

                             Department of the Army

                            Office of the Secretary

    AbilityOne Program...............................................   269
    Additional Committee Questions...................................   259
    Arctic:
        Organization Clothing and Individual Equipment (OCIE) for Ft
          Drum, Ft Carson, and Alaska Bases..........................   270
        Overland Mobility Vehicle....................................   270
    Blue Grass Army Depot (BGAD).....................................   268
    European Deterrence Initiative...................................   267
    Evolved Priorities...............................................   235
    Fort Campbell....................................................   268
    Future:
        of Weapons...................................................   262
        Vertical Lift (FVL)..........................................   267
    Grenadier Sighting System........................................   267
    Paladin Integrated Management (PIM)..............................   263
    People First.....................................................   236
    Posture Review...................................................   270
    Robotic Combat Vehicle Program...................................   269
    Strategic Environment............................................   236
                                   __________

                             Department of the Navy

                            Office of the Secretary

    Additional Committee Questions...................................   321
    America is a Maritime Nation--Our People Depend on the Freedom of
      the Seas.......................................................   285
    Arctic Strategy..................................................   325
    Competition and Risk.............................................   305
    Defend the Nation................................................   277
    Delivering All-Domain Naval Power................................   290
    Fleet Design and Naval Integration...............................   308
    Force Design.....................................................   302
    Gender Integrated Training.......................................   302
    Growing Challenge to the United States and the Open International
      System, The....................................................   286
    Icebreakers......................................................   326
    Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance OSR in the Arctic
      Region.........................................................   325
    Logistics and Resilience.........................................   305
    Major Defense Acquisition Programs...............................   306
    Naval Expeditionary Stand-In Forces..............................   303
    No Fiscal Year 2022 Funding for F/A-18 Super Hornet Production...   327
    Personnel and Talent Management..................................   299
    Posture..........................................................   304
    Readiness and Strategic Advantage................................   307
    Succeed Through Teamwork.........................................   281
    Take Care of Our People..........................................   279
    Timeless Roles of Sea Control and Power Projection...............   289
    Training and Education...........................................   301
    U.S. Navy--Deployed Forward to Defend America and our Allies and
      Protect the Freedom of the Seas................................   288
    United Nations Convention Law of the Sea.........................   327
                                   __________

                             National Guard Reserve

    2-152 Infantry Battalion transfer from the Indiana National Guard
      to the Missouri National Guard, The............................   174
    A Total Force....................................................   102
    Adaptive Mobilization............................................   135
    Additional Committee Questions...................................   171
    Air Force Reserve in the Total Force, The........................   139
    Always Ready, Always There.......................................   122
    Aviation Adversary Training......................................   134
    Behavioral Health................................................   107
    Building Partnerships............................................   125
    Chief, National Guard Bureau.....................................   121
    Cloud Computing, Mobility Innovations and Digital Capabilities...   135
    Diversity, Equity and Inclusion..................................   130
    Duty Status Reform...............................................   131
    Eliminating Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment.................   131
    Enduring Mission of the A-10 and the 442nd Fighter Wing at
      Whiteman Air Force Base, The...................................   175
    Equipment........................................................   105
    Facilities.......................................................   106
    Fighting America's Wars..........................................   123
    Force Design.....................................................   111
    Future C-130 Force Structure and the 139th Airlift Wing at
      Rosecrans Air National Guard Base, The.........................   175
    Generating Combat Power Today and Tomorrow.......................   141
    Health Services..................................................   107
    Homeland.........................................................   121
    Implementing the National Defense Strategy.......................   140
    Infrastructure and Facilities....................................   141
    Manning a Ready Force............................................   143
    Mobilization to Billet...........................................   132
    Modernizing and Improving the Air Force Reserve..................   144
    Navy:
        Operational Support Center Realignment.......................   135
        Personnel and Pay............................................   132
        Reserve Special and Incentive Pay and Bonuses................   131
        Unique Fleet Essential Airlift...............................   133
    Non-Deployability Analytics......................................   135
    Partnerships.....................................................   121
    Personnel........................................................   104
    Providing Excellent Care to Airmen and Families..................   146
    Quality of Life..................................................   109
    Ready Now! Shaping Tomorrow . . .................................   114
    Role of C-130s, The..............................................   174
    Sailor Wellness..................................................   131
    Securing the Homeland............................................   123
    Sexual Assault Prevention & Response.............................   108
    Soldiers, Airmen and Families....................................   125
    Supporting our Wounded, Ill, or Injured Marines and their
      Families.......................................................   111
    Talent Management................................................   112
    Training.........................................................   105
    United States Army Reserve, The..................................   114
    Warfight.........................................................   120
                                   __________

                 Navy and Air Force Weapons Systems Divestments

    A-10 Thunderbolt.................................................   348
    Current Capacity and Capability..................................   347
    C-130H/J.........................................................   350
    E-8 JSTARS.......................................................   349
    F-15C/D Eagle....................................................   348
    F-16 C/D Fighting Falcon.........................................   348
    Fighter Fleet, The...............................................   347
    MQ-9 Reaper......................................................   349
    Navy's PB-22 Proposed Divestments................................   343
    RQ-4 Global Hawk.................................................   349
    Tankers (KC-10, KC-135, and KC-46)...............................   350

                                      [all]